With a FIFA Ranking of 67, the Indian national women's football team has had a steady rise in recent times due to growing international exposure. Maymol Rocky's side have received plaudits for their brave displays, but the hard work put in by players amidst poor grassroot conditions is not something known by the common population. Recently, the playing conditions in the ongoing Senior Women's National Football Championship has caught everyone's eye due to poor playing conditions, which raises the question as to how can the sport develop when players are forced to play in abysmal conditions.
According to reports, the two venues for the tournament - Pasighat and CHF stadiums - held in Arunachal Pradesh were drenched with rainwater and waterlogged. The conditions were poor, and huge puddles had formed.
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Participating in the tour (held in Arunachal Pradesh), Karnataka captain Tanvie Hans took to Twitter to share photos of the CHF pitch, where her side lost to Bihar.
She wrote, "We lost against Bihar yesterday, and I walked off in tears, not because of the loss, but because it was hardly a game of #football. The ground was flooded, and the ball was hardly moving. Heart broken by the conditions we are being asked to play in. I would be, even if we won."
According to News18, The Arunachal Pradesh Football Association secretary revealed that the ground conditions were better later due to the sun coming out, and the poor conditions were due to continuous rain, with the volunteers taking out water from the ground via buckets.
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Also, a video has been posted on social media, which further highlights the playing conditions.
It is 2019, Indian football has had a sudden surge of glamour due to the Indian Super League, but in reality, state associations are being left in poor conditions with hardly any funds. Professional football players should not be made to play in such conditions, which can cause injuries and could even end careers.
