Sports Minister felicitates 1956 Olympics football team

Sports Minister Dr MS Gill on Monday emphasised the popularity and importance of football while at the same time having at a dig at the quality of the game in the country.

“Football is popular and can be played by anyone, that’s why the government has upgraded it to category A in our priority list of games,” Gill said at a function to honour members of the team that reached the semifinals of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics by beating hosts Australia 4-2 in the quarterfinals.

“Players should take inspiration from these legends. The standard of the game has gone down so much nowadays that today we fear we might be beaten by a school team from Australia,” Gill said in a lighter vein.

“It is a great honour to be felicitated in this manner. I thought everyone had forgotten us but this is a big occasion for us,” said Samar Banerjee, who was the captain of the side that had shocked the hosts to make the last-four stage.

Syed Abdul Salam, who hails from Hyderabad, remembered that Australia had been overconfident against them.

Former player, coach and Arjuna awardee PK Banerjee, who took the right flank in that team, said he hoped the game could see a revival soon.

All of them were given a cash award of Rs. 1.5 lakh each apart from a shawl and a silver plaque.