Women footballer ready to play for the first time in police football tournament
The teams will take part in the All India Police Football Championship for the first time which will be held at the renovated Bakshi Stadium in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir from Sunday. For most of the players in the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) team, the tournament is nothing short of a dream come true, having waited five years to see this day. Neha Khan from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh told PTI, “I am feeling very good and thrilled. We were eagerly waiting for this tournament as we are getting a chance to participate in this competition for the first time.
Neha said that such tournaments can motivate girls to pursue a career in sports. Veteran Dharamshala Kumari from Bihar said that the next generation of girls will also join sports. He said, “I got the support of my family in sports but I had some difficulty in joining the security force. But I like the security force because it gives me a chance to play.” Haryana’s Monika said her team is doing well and should attract spectators.
He said, “Women spectators will be motivated to participate in sports activities if they come to watch our matches.” The first tournament will be Wasim Ahmed, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association, said, “The last major tournament in Kashmir was the Santosh Trophy in 2008. After this there was no major competition in the Kashmir Valley. According to Nuzhat Gul, secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, 34 teams will participate in the men’s section while eight teams will participate in the women’s section. The tournament will be organized at three venues Bakshi Stadium, TRC Synthetic Turf Stadium and Kashmir University Ground.
