Imphal, Nov. 18: Former India skipper Baichung Bhutia and All India Football Federation (AIFF) technical director Anthony Scott Donell arrived here to inspect sites for opening an under-13 football academy.

The AIFF team, which arrived here yesterday, visited the SAI-NERC complex and later made a courtesy call to the All Manipur Football Association (AMFA) office at Mapal Kangjeibung. The team left for Shillong today to assess a site there.

Baichung, who spoke to this correspondent, said they have specially come down to look for possible sites for opening an under-13 football academy in the state. He said they found the SAI-NERC spot at Takyelpat very promising. Baichung said he considered Manipur an ideal place for the academy. He said the AIFF wants work on the academy to start from January next year.

On the football scenario in the state, Baichung said they want to encourage more grassroots football among the youth.

Baichung and his team discussed the growth of football in the state with AMFA president P. Raghumani Singh and general secretary L. Ranjit Roy.

School sports: Royal Global School, Guwahati is organising the four-day third Anup Lahoty Inter-School Sports Meet on its premises at Betkuchi in Guwahati from tomorrow.

School cricket: South Point School hammered Gurukul Grammar Senior Secondary School by 106 runs while Sarala Birla Gyan Jyoti outplayed Happy Montessori School by 33 runs in their respective matches of 10th All-Assam Inter-School Prize-Money Cricket Tournament at Latasil ground in Guwahati today.