Srinagar, 10 May (H.S.): Commissioner/Secretary Youth Services and Sports J&K, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary on Sunday strongly defended the selection process of the Jammu and Kashmir U-20 Football Team and said that sports should not be politicised by vested interests at the cost of youth and athletes.

Speaking to media persons after flagging off the Jammu and Kashmir U-20 Football Team at TRC Football Ground Srinagar for participation in the prestigious Swami Vivekananda U-20 National Football Championship, Shahid said the team was selected through a completely fair and transparent process after professional training camps conducted by the J&K Sports Council.

“Our football team is going to play nationals and the camps and training were organised professionally by the Sports Council. The selection process was fair and transparent and children from different districts of Jammu and Kashmir were selected purely on merit. Some of these players have already represented at international levels and I am confident they will make J&K proud,” he said.

Addressing the recent controversy regarding participation of the J&K football team in the national championship, Shahid said misinformation was deliberately spread by certain vested interests to create confusion and obstruct youth participation in sports activities.

He clarified that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) had officially authorised the J&K Sports Council in September 2023 to conduct football-related activities, including selections, coaching, training camps and management of competitions in Jammu and Kashmir till proper elections of the Football Association are held in the Union Territory.

“The Sports Council is presently the only authorised body for football selections in J&K. Despite this, some people are trying to mislead authorities and create hurdles so that children are prevented from participating in national competitions. This is unfortunate,” he said.

Shahid said an ad-hoc committee headed by Justice Gambhir was constituted in July 2025 to oversee elections and football-related matters in J&K, but the committee has not initiated the election process so far, due to which the Sports Council continues to remain the authorised body.

He said certain individuals with vested interests were trying to claim control without allowing proper grassroots-level elections to happen. “Sports associations work through a pyramid structure from block and district levels upwards. Some people only want control at the top without building democratic structures below. We will not allow that,” he said.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar