Mysuru: The Mysuru District Football Association, the most active football association in Mysuru, despite regularly conducting football league matches has to depend on the University of Mysore football ground for conducting league matches or any other related events since it does not have its own ground.
Owing to this, the association has not been able to bank on the FIFA world cup fever. Prior permission is needed to conduct any programme, like setting up of a giant screen to attract the football fans at the ground and owing to the time constraints involved in procuring approval, the association has not been able to attract people by organising such events apart from league matches for A, B, and C division.
Speaking to Newskarnataka, Manjunath, Secretary of the association said, “For the past ten years, for the benefit of football players, we are requesting the government to allocate nearly 5-acre land for setting up of football ground but we are yet to get it. The Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports has got some land next to its existing stadium. We have requested them to allot a portion of land for setting up of the ground so that we can come out with more programmes to promote football in Mysuru. Once we get a ground of our own, we will definitely conduct more football competitions which will enable good exposure to football talents in Mysuru.”
He also mentioned that they need to struggle to get permission from the University of Mysore for conducting league matches at its football ground. Even if they allot, instead of promoting the game, they put forth few demands including the one to help the University of Mysore sports activities by deploying football referee, he added.
Football players speaking on anonymity said, “When it comes to cricket, the government takes up initiative very quickly but when it comes to other games including football, they take more time. Even though the association is demanding land to set up the football ground it is yet to allocate land for the same. It’s high time that the government starts treating all sports equally.”
