THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two important clearances have been obtained for the arrival of the Argentina football team, featuring Lionel Messi, to play in Kerala, Sports Minister V Abdurahiman told the assembly on Tuesday. Replying to the discussion on demand for grants for 2025-26 fiscal, Abdurahiman said approvals from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Union Sports Ministry have been obtained.
“Further formalities are in progress and more updates will be provided once all necessary procedures are completed,” the minister said. It was in November last year that Abdurahiman announced that Messi and the Argentina team would visit Kerala to play two friendly matches in 2025.
Abdurahiman also told the assembly that an international football stadium is being planned at the Malappuram-Kozhikode border. “The Calicut University has agreed to provide 35 acres of land for the purpose and the construction will begin soon,” he said.
He also trained his guns at Indian Olympic Association president P T Usha and the Kerala Olympic Association for the dismal performance of the state in the recently held National Games. While Usha intervened to get Kalaripayattu removed from the list of events, the state Olympic association made changes to two teams proposed by the state sports council. “As a result, the state could not win up to 21 gold medals at the National Games,” he said.
Abdurahiman said the ‘One Playground in One Panchayat’ initiative of the state sports department has earned national recognition at a meeting of state sports ministers organised by the Centre last week. Abdurahiman said Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has issued directions to implement Kerala’s initiative across the country. The state government project is meant to foster sportsmanship and keep youth away from substance abuse.
The minister said that the introduction of e-certification for sportspersons to prevent malpractices and corruption will also be taken up as a model for nationwide implementation. References in the state’s sports policy of 2023 have been incorporated in the national sports policy being finalised by the Centre, he said. Abdurhiman added that lessons on sports will be a part of the textbooks at the primary level in schools from the next academic year.