AIFF academy may be shifted from Goa to Gurgaon

  
The All India Football Federation's much hyped academy in Goa is likely to be shifted to Gurgaon unless the problem related to acquisition of land for its establishment gets resolved within 10 days.
    
The academy, to be funded by Bharti Airtel with Manchester United likely to provide technical expertise, was supposed to be set into motion last year but got delayed with the land allotted for it became a matter of dispute after local bodies protested against its acquisition.

Despite efforts by now ailing AIFF president Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, the matter failed to be resolved.
    
After Dasmunshi's illness, union civil aviation minister and AIFF senior vice-president Praful Patel held a discussion with the Goa government authorities as well as representatives of local bodies and it was believed that work on setting up the academy would start soon.

However, delay in starting the project has forced the AIFF executive committee to give an ultimatum.
    
"The Goa government has been given 10 days to complete the land acquisition," an AIFF source said.
    
"If the state government fails to complete the move then the academy could get shifted to Gurgaon," he added.

It was also learnt that Bharti Airtel too has become disinterested with Goa and the telecom giant is now keen for the academy to be shifted to Gurgaon.

Haryana Football Association secretary Sunil Bhardwaj, though unaware of the development, said they are ready to host the academy.

"We will provide all kinds of support to make the academy up and running," Bhardwaj said.