Blatter

New Delhi: What India will benefit from Fifa president Sepp Blatter’s three-day visit beginning Saturday is still unknown. But, if the All India Football Federation (AIFF) insiders are to be believed, the federation is certainly spending a fortune to make the ‘show’ a great success.

According to sources, the AIFF is set to spend around Rs 50 lakh during Blatter’s two-day stay in the capital. Apart from this, the federation exchequer may be poorer by another Rs 10-15 lakh during his one-day visit to Calcutta.

In a country where budding footballers are still paid a measly Rs 170 per day towards boarding and lodging in age-group national championships, the AIFF president Priya Ranjan Das Munshi has decided to turn Blatter’s visit into a ‘grand show’ to project Indian football in a bright light.

Sources said that the federation is bearing an all-expenses paid trip to New Delhi for three days for around 100 people to mark the Fifa chief’s visit. It includes all the executive committee members of the federation, three people each from all the member associations and a host of former footballers. Three hotels in Delhi have been booked for these delegates, half of whom have been given return air tickets. The rest will travel by train in the air-conditioned class.

“This is costing us heavily”, said a federation official. “The hotel expenses are coming to around Rs 10 lakh. The federation will easily end up paying another Rs 5-8 lakh towards air and train fares. The federation members will also receive daily allowance for three days,” he added.

All executive members and general members have also been given expensive suits to wear during Blatter’s visit, each suit costing the federation around Rs 10,000. Two dozens cars and buses have been hired for three days. Half a dozen of them are Mercedes Benz, which will be for the exclusive use of Blatter’s 13-member contingent.

Around Rs 5 lakh have been spent on renovating the AIFF headquarters or the Football House, which will be formally inaugurated by Blatter on Tuesday. Nearly 50 volunteers have been recruited to work during Blatter’s visit. All of them will receive Rs 500 per day for a week. Two hundred and fifty schoolchildren will be given caps and T-shirt to line up and cheer Blatter at the Football House.

In return, the federation officials are hoping that Blatter will announce a heavy grant for India, apart from the $250,000 it gets annually from Fifa.

“A few million dollars from Fifa will solve all our problems. At least we can spend that money on youth development and the Professional League,” said a senior AIFF official.

The economics of Blatter visit

Around 100 delegates will stay in Delhi for three days. The hotel expenses are likely to be around Rs 10 lakh.

Around half of these members have been given air tickets to and fro. The rest will get train tickets in air-conditioned class. The cost: Rs 5-8 lakh.

Tailored suits have been provided to all executive members, two office bearers of member associations and office staff. Each suit costs around Rs 8,000-10,000. Total cost around Rs 6 lakh.

Two dozens cars and vehicles have been hired for Blatter’s visit. Half a dozen of them are Mercedes Benz’s, to be used by Blatter’s contingent.

Around Rs 5 lakh has been spent on renovating the Football House, buying new equipment like telephones and computers.

Rs 2-4 lakh has been spent on hoardings, printing brochures and other material.
m Fifty volunteers have been hired for 10 days. Each will receive a daily allowance of Rs 500.