I-League Professional Football Clubs Close To Becoming Association

I-League Professional Football Clubs Association is "a step closer towards professionalising" as they plan to register themselves as an association under the Indian Societies Act of 1960, according to Anselm Noronha of GOAL.com. The members of all the 13 I-League clubs, except Pailan Arrows, "will form part of the committee." The newly elected office bearers include President R.A.J. Gomes, VP Debashish Dutta, VP Dr. S.R. Dasgupta, VP Armando Colaco, General Secretary Chirag Tanna and Treasurer Victor Fernandes. Meanwhile, the clubs have unanimously decided that they will release players for the national camps per FIFA rules and regulations in "a major decision which is likely to hurt the national team." FIFA rules stipulate that the players need to be released only four days for an int'l friendly (GOAL.com, 6/17).