KOLKATA: After more than four months away owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mohammedan Sporting Club are planning to resume their training sessions early next month.
The club’s general secretary Sk. Wasim Akram informed that they have recently received a communication from the All India Football Federation which states that the parent body for the game in the country is tentatively planning to hold the second division I-League between middle of September and middle of October. It will be held at a single venue with the tournament set to last about 15 days and there might be a quarantine period of seven to 14 days for the outstation players.
The clubs have been asked to confirm their intention to participate by Tuesday.
“We will need at least 45 days of practice, especially because the players have not trained since March. In that case, it will be ideal for us to start in early August. However, we will have to get the permission of the state government to do that. We will write to the state government, the Indian Football Association and the Army about the same tomorrow. At the same time, we will raise the matter to sports minister Aroop Biswas at the sports council meeting on Tuesday to request for the go-ahead,” said Akram.
The club management is also preparing to take all measures in order to abide by all relevant protocols and directives if and when they start training.
“We will put up a sanitisation tunnel at the main entrance. We will also conduct the training session following all health and social distancing norms. The players will be tested at appropriate authorities and there will be thermal scanning at the club. They will all have separate bottles and towels,” said club’s football secretary Dipendu Biswas. “We will mention our plans to the sports minister.”