Subroto Cup disqualification: Investigate YAS Dept, says AKKSU
Source: The Sangai Express

Kakching, August 21 2024: Reacting to the disqualification of the Manipur sub-junior boys team at the 63rd Subroto Cup Tournament underway at Bengaluru, the All Kha-Kanglei Students' Union (AKKSU) has urged the Sports Minister to form a high-level enquiry committee and launch an investigation into the Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS) Department who reportedly took on a significant role in sending the disqualified team.

Expressing despair over the disqualification of the team from Utlou Government Model High School, Bishnupur, AKKSU pointed out in a press release issued by its Games and Sports secretary N Sanathoi that the Manipur team was also disqualified in the 62nd Subroto Cup Tournament.

Conveying shock over the disqualification of the team in two consecutive editions of the tournament for fielding overage players, AKKSU has further questioned how such an issue slipped past the YAS Department Screening Committee who conducted tournaments to select players for the Manipur team from various districts.

Large sums were also sanctioned by the Central Government to conduct the tournament, alleged AKKSU.

It also questioned if the YAS Department was unaware of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) regulation which stated that a team will be disqualified if it fields more than four players above the cut-off age as per the Skeletal Age Estimation Test.

Stating that the silence of the State Government and the Sports Minister on this issue will spell trouble for the future career of young sports persons, AKKSU has appealed to the concerned authority to reveal the truth to the public by releasing a report.

Otherwise, AKKSU will launch intense agitations in collaboration with students, guardians and other clubs, it cautioned.

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