JEDDAH, 14 October 2004 — Saudi Indian Football Forum (SIFF) is planning to stage an international match to mark its 10th anniversary. It is inviting a team from India to play against its own team comprising players from various clubs and associations. SIFF office-bearers announced this at a reception hosted in honor of India’s new Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed at Al Salam Holiday Inn Hotel on Tuesday night.
Dr. Sayeed had a word of praise for SIFF for encouraging sports activities. “Such activities help channelize the energies of youth and also bring closer the cultures of expat communities and their Saudi hosts,” he said.
He recalled that the Indian missions in Qatar and Denmark, where he was posted before, had been extending support to the unified cultural bodies organizing sports and other community activities. He mentioned the visit of a delegation of Indian Hockey Federation to Qatar during his tenure.
He noted that while sports of glamour like cricket had become lucrative due to generous sponsorships, football which was very strong at one time in India, had suffered for want of professional coaching and support from sponsors. In fact, soccer is popular the world over. In Europe the sport turns a tournament into a festive occasion.
“Let me assure you that the support being extended by the consulate so far will be continued and even strengthened,” he said and hoped that SIFF, which enjoys a good track record in staging its annual tournament, will become an entity not only here but also across the GCC.
SIFF President K.P. Abdul Salam outlined the role of the forum in unifying the community and promoting harmony through football. It has also been staging interschool matches, as part of is annual tournament. “We’re also planning community welfare activities, in addition to football,” said Salam, also the founder president.
A. Alawi, former general secretary of the forum, recalled how local teams, essentially hailing from the southern Indian state of Kerala played matches from 1990 on the ground behind Kaki building, off Sitteen Street. With the increase in the number of clubs and teams, they were all brought under one umbrella in 1995 when SIFF was established. The year also marked the first annual tournament in which 20 teams participated, including one from the western Indian state of Goa. League matches continued to be played at the ground, but semis and finals were moved to the Ittihad Stadium. More teams were registered for the tournament, including one from the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, and from 2000 the venue shifted to the Ministry of Education Stadium at Faisaliyah. In 2002, a friendly match between the SIFF XI and a Saudi university team ended in a draw. This year, to mark its 10th anniversary, SIFF is inviting an international team from India, probably Air-India, to play a friendly match here. T.P. Ahmed, who has been four times the president of SIFF, introduced the consul general. Aslam Cherat, secretary, and K.O. Paulson, treasurer, reviewed the activities of the forum. Shahnawaz, the player of the 2004 SIFF tournament, presented a bouquet to the consul general.
