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What’s the story?
Tanvie Hans, the first Indian origin football player to have played for the Tottenham Hotspur ladies team has broken yet more boundaries, as she has started to compete in The Amateur League in Bengaluru, a competition that is predominantly played by men.
In case you didn’t know…
Tanvie Hans is one of the biggest names in Indian women’s football, having played for clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham. Although she has harboured dreams of playing for India, Tanvie has not been able to represent the national side, as she holds a British passport.
Heart of the matter
Now back in India, Tanvie created a unique first as she took part in The Amateur League (TAL), competing against men. The 25-year-old not only went on to represent Cult FC in the league but also captained the side. Incidentally, she was the only female player in the team.
Despite having Tanvie’s experience, however, Cult FC suffered a 2-1 loss at the hands of Bhaowkali FC. However, after the loss, the former Tottenham Hotspur winger took to social media to laud her teammates for the great effort they put in.
She revealed that most of her teammates had never played on a full-length pitch and that the team had trained on a five-a-side pitch ahead of the tournament as well.
What’s next?
TAL had announced the initiative of levelling the playing field for both the genders, earlier this week, with Tanvie Hans being the face of this revolutionary move.
While she was the only female player in her team, this new format will be interesting, to say the least.
Author’s take
It is indeed a great initiative to have mixed teams in football, something that is rarely seen. The involvement of one and all in the beautiful game can only serve as an improvement.
