GUWAHATI: Late on Monday afternoon, a message started trending on WhatsApp groups. “Unscramble FIFA, it becomes AIFF,” it read, referring to mismanagement and spur-of-the-moment decision-making the Indian football federation is often associated with.It was somewhat unkind on FIFA, which was forced to shift the Brazil-England semifinal to Kolkata due to unplayable ground conditions in Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. Just that the late call left a sour taste, in a tournament that was scoring brownie points for smooth organisation.
The FIFA, in fact, was not the sole authority in taking the drastic step, which might question claims of Guwahati being the “emerging sports capital of India”. Tournament director Javier Ceppi was among a small team, including representatives of Brazil and England, involved in hectic deliberations throughout Monday. Local officials tried their best, deploying around 100 persons to tend to the ground, which had raised eyebrows during the October 21 Mali-Ghana quarterfinal played amid a downpour. Even a helicopter was flown in to dry the turf. Their worst fears came true when the tournament head office set up in Kolkata conveyed the decision.
“It was a collective decision. Members of the support staff of the two teams inspected the ground and told Ceppi that it’s better to play the match elsewhere. Since there had already been talks about the condition of the ground, nobody wanted to take a chance and risk injuries. Hence this step,” a local organising committee official told Express. Ceppi was approached, but refused to meet or speak to the media. “Despite the great efforts by all involved parties, including the authorities of Guwahati, to preserve the pitch, FIFA has taken this decision following consultations with both teams in order to safeguard the players’ health and to ensure the best playing conditions... We regret that unforeseen circumstances have led to this decision, which will deprive football fans in Guwahati of this semifinal encounter,” read a statement.
After hassle-free conduct of group league games, Guwahati started getting unseasonal rain, persistent for almost four days, with little or no sunshine. Following the Mali-Ghana match, the turf was left uneven, where the ball often stopped instead of rolling. The Ghana coach was critical of conditions, saying that the match should have been abandoned and replayed.
atreyo@newindianexpress.com