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An emotional Sunil Chhetri takes one final
lap of the Salt Lake Stadium in what was his retirement game. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
As the impasse surrounding the Indian Super League continues, and India’s top football league continues to be suspended, India’s top footballers like Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu posted an impassioned plea on social media urging “those involved in running our sport in the country, to do whatever it takes to get the football season underway”.
The ISL typically begins in September. But right now, there is no clarity on when it will begin, with the league already having missed two months of its regular calendar. This has led to some teams suspending operations. Many top footballers have been without competitive football for months. There are reports that even training schedules and salary payments have been disrupted.
“We, professional footballers who play in the Indian Super League, are coming together to make a plea and, more importantly, to send the message that we stand united in our efforts to get the Indian Super League season underway. To put it simply, we want to play and now,” footballers like Chhetri and Sandhu wrote in a joint statement they posted on their social media handles.
“Our anger, frustration and distress has now been replaced by desperation. Desperation to play the game we love, in front of people who mean everything to us, our families, our fans. This is a plea to all those involved in running our sport in the country, to do whatever it takes to get the football season underway. India needs its competitive football now more than ever,” the statement read. “As for us, we remain committed, professional and ready to walk out of that tunnel and onto the pitch the moment we’re told we can. All we ask of those running our beautiful game, to match our desperation with honest intent. We’ve found ourselves in a very dark tunnel for long. We could do with a little light.”
Sharing the statement on his Instagram handle, Cheetri wrote: “We’re all standing shoulder to shoulder, willing to do whatever it takes to resurrect the sport we love.”
Sandhu’s message read, “We find ourselves in the midst of our hardest challenge yet. And yet, all we can do at this point is plead.”
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