Dr Shahid Iqbal Flags Off J&K U-20 Football Team for National Championship

Srinagar, May 10: Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary on Saturday flagged off the Jammu and Kashmir U-20 Football team from the TRC Football Ground in Srinagar for participation in the Swami Vivekananda U-20 National Football Championship.
The ceremony was attended by senior officers of the J&K Sports Council, coaches, players and sports enthusiasts.
Addressing the players, Dr. Shahid Iqbal congratulated the team and urged them to perform with discipline, dedication and sportsmanship to make the Union Territory proud at the national level.
The participation of the J&K team marks a major achievement for football in the Union Territory after the team was initially omitted from the championship fixtures due to administrative issues linked to the absence of an elected football body in J&K.
The issue was resolved following sustained intervention by Dr. Shahid Iqbal with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. He maintained that talented footballers from Jammu and Kashmir should not suffer because of delays in the conduct of elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA).
The matter was also discussed during the recent Chintan Shivir in Srinagar, where the Commissioner Secretary stressed the need for uninterrupted participation of J&K players in national events.
Secretary, J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul, reiterated the Council’s commitment towards the promotion and development of football in Jammu and Kashmir and assured continued support to players representing the Union Territory at national platforms.
The U-20 squad was selected through a transparent merit-based trial process conducted across various districts of Jammu and Kashmir, while a residential coaching camp for the players has been underway in Srinagar since April 9.