FIFA Women’s Workshop kicks off in Delhi with key speakers and experts

The FIFA Capacity Building Workshop for women administrators, held in New Delhi, features sessions from FIFA experts and prominent Indian football figures, with a focus on developing women's football in India

Hyderabad: The FIFA Capacity Building Workshop for women administrators began in New Delhi on Tuesday, with welcome addresses from Deputy Secretary General Mr. M. Satyanarayan. This was followed by addresses from FIFA experts Mr. Simon Toselli, Ms. Natcha Tarateerasarn, and Ms. Pema Tshering, who is also the captain of Bhutan’s women’s national team.

Present at the event were current and former players and coaches Ms. Ashalata Devi, Ms. Bembem Devi, Mr. Crispin Chettri, Mr. Joakim Alexandersson, Ms. Priya PV, Ms. Chitra Gangadharan, and AIFF Women’s Committee member Ms. Shabana Rabbani.

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The three-day workshop will feature sessions delivered by Mr. Toselli, Ms. Tarateerasarn, and Ms. Tshering for around 50 female administrators from across the country. Participants include representatives from Indian Women’s League (IWL) clubs, State Associations, the Sports Authority of India, team managers of various Indian women’s national teams, and coaches.

AIFF Deputy Secretary General Mr. M. Satyanarayan said, “We are currently ranked 12th in Asia, and I believe, like so many others in our country, that the women’s team will make it to the World Cup before the men’s team. We are maybe just a few wins away from it.”

Mr. Satyanarayan apprised the gathering of the unique steps taken by the AIFF, with aid from FIFA, to help women’s football grow. “I’m happy to announce that AIFF, with the help of FIFA, is setting up the first-ever Women’s Football Academy in Hyderabad, which might start within a month’s time,” he said. “The foundation is there. Now nothing can stop India, at least in women’s football.”

FIFA expert Mr. Simon Toselli said, “FIFA is extremely happy to collaborate with AIFF. We will follow up. We will go the extra mile. There is financial support, technical expertise, and all of us have a part to play. If all of us go the extra mile and do tasks efficiently, step by step, day by day, I am fully convinced Indian football will develop.”

Senior Indian women’s national team head coach Crispin Chettri, who helped the Blue Tigresses qualify for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time, said, “The badge is important. We all work towards what we want to do for the badge, rather than ourselves.

“Sometimes in games it’s all about individuals. So we, as coaches, can only help them during the training session. But when it comes to the match, it’s all about the players. I think we are just a tool for them to grow, keep growing as a team, and help them learn,” said Chettri.

Joakim Alexandersson, who coached the India U20 women’s team to AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup qualification, and more recently helped the India U17 women’s team win the SAFF U17 Women’s Championship, stressed the importance of taking responsibilities.

“I haven’t been able to coach each team for more than half a year. But I guess that (giving responsibilities) is something that you have to work with every day in the training sessions,” said Alexandersson. “I try to involve them as much as possible in the sessions. Take responsibilities to develop themselves and the whole team together as a player.”