Patna, July 8: A felicitation function for Bihar U-17 girls’ football team was organised at Patliputra Sports Complex on Thursday. Bihar girls recently finished runners –up in the National U-17 championships in Guwahati.
Addressing the function, director general of Sports Development Authority of Bihar, Raveendran Sankaran made many announcements for these girls. The programme began with the felicitation of the players. DG Sankaran and director of students and youth welfare department Vinod Singh Gunjiyal honoured them. Later, the players took out a victory procession in an open vehicle and the residents of Kankarbagh encouraged them.
Sankaran said that Rs 2.5 lakh prize money will be given to the team and the money will be transferred to players’ bank accounts. Coaches will get Rs 25000 each. Lukcy Kumar of Bihar who scored 13 goals in the tournament will be given Rs 13000 (Rs 1000 for each goal).
He said that players of the team should stop worrying about everything related to studies and sports after today. The government will bear the cost of all these things. Arrangements for their better training will also be made by the government.
The country’s famous football club Mohun Bagan team will soon organise a selection trial in Bihar and from there the players will get a chance to play in more big tournaments.
Sankaran said that we became champions in the match in which we defeated Manipur and Haryana in the quarter-final and semi-final matches respectively.
Pointing out the shortcomings of the team in the final, he Sankaran said that It was just a mistake. I was here watching the match on TV. I was crying that my words should reach you. In the final match, all Bihar players were waiting for the ball to come. Whereas it should have happened that you should have kept your hold on the ball, well no matter what happened, that happened.
Earlier, art, culture and youth department secretary Bandana Preyashi greeted the team members at her office.
Office-bearers of different sports associations of the state and a large number of sports lovers were present at Patliputra Sports Complex function.
