Women players participating in the MDFA Women’s League have to make do with a makeshift changing room (in back... Read More

MUMBAI: It’s no secret that football in India suffers the most at the state and city level. The ongoing MDFA Women’s League is no exception.

Coaches and players have raised concerns over the lack of basic amenities provided by the organizers at the tournament which is being held at the Bombay Gymkhana grounds .

The girls, most of them who are in college, have to comply with the no-ambulance rule to participate in the tournament. The MDFA organizers have written on the fixture list that no ambulance will be provided at the venue and the teams have to manage on their own. What makes it worse is that no stretcher is provided too.

If that wasn’t enough, what has irked the teams the most is that the girls have to do with a makeshift outdoor changing room. To call it a room would be an exaggeration. It’s just a bamboo structure at four corners covered with black cloth.

Bloecher Mendes, a coaching staff member of Bodyline Sports Club, said that the changing room is like an invitation for unpleasant situations.

“The changing room is just satisfactory. But as this is considered part of an open space, there are chances of some indecent situations to occur. If I’m not wrong, Fifa rules state that an ambulance needs to be present before the start of a game.

“Apart from that, there are no proper seats for the coaches or the substitute members of the playing teams. About medical facilities, whenever a player is injured, it's the coach who has to ensure that the player gets the necessary treatment,” Mendes said.

A player-turned-coach of a women’s team said that these concerns were raised earlier.

“In 2016, we raised concerns about not having an ambulance at the venue, but other teams didn’t back us. They were content with just having a league to play. That’s the case now too,” she said.

Another concern that was raised what the fact that teams don’t have enough time to recover between games. With the current schedule, the girls have to play almost every alternate day. This takes a big toll on the players, as some are appearing for their final exams.

“The organizers (MDFA) have no consideration regarding match timings. They conduct games in blistering afternoon heat. It seems as though they want to conduct the tournament just for the sake of conducting it,” the coach added.

A senior referee, on condition of anonymity, told TOI that it’s absolutely shameful that MDFA cannot provide an ambulance or proper medical facilities.

“If the players write a letter to the All India Football Federation , the league organizers will be in trouble. For the national leagues, there are at least two ambulances present at the ground. These are basic facilities,” he said.

With such concerns being highlighted quite prominently by players and coaches, it remains to be seen if these problems catch the attention of the officials and necessary changes and provisions are incorporated in the near future.

