Football Players’ Association of India becomes member of FIFPro
The Football Players’ Association of India (FPAI) was one of the two new members introduced in Budapest, at the general assembly of FIFPro. Chief executive officer Sumit Mukherjee was very pleased to receive the membership on behalf of the Indian Union.
‘We formed the Football Players Association of India 3 1/2 years back’, remembered Mukherjee. ‘We have come a long way since then and have definitely contributed towards the development of the Indian football player. For the first time the players feel that they have a body that they can fall back upon when they are in trouble and in need of guidance.’
Mukherjee gave credit to Bhaichung Bhutia, the captain of the national team and president of FPAI since the founding of the union in the Summer of 2006. ‘The growth of FPAI is primarily because of Bhaichung Bhutia. Today the players stand united behind each other under his leadership and have appreciated the benefit of having one voice under the FPAI.’
‘However,’ warned Mukherjee, ‘we still have along way to go before we reach the size and stature that we would like to achieve. We have learnt a lot from our meetings and interactions with various people from FIFPro. This has helped us with our interaction with the national association AIFF and has given us immense guidance with respect to getting a formal MOU signed with AIFF, which we hope to sign in the near future.’
Source: FIFPro
