AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: The two-day AFC-AFDP Dream Asia CSR Seminar, hosted by Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Asian Football Development Project (AFDP) and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) supported by AFDP’s Official Partner PepsiCo ended successfully at the Capital on Friday (September 27, 2013).

“There is tremendous potential in South and Central Asia for both development through football as well as football development. Both streams are interconnected and that is why football associations, the private sector and NGOs working through football must join their efforts,” noted Prince Ali Chairman of the Social Responsibility Committee at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Chairman of the Asian Football Development Project (AFDP).

“This seminar has been the perfect meeting place for all stakeholders to exchange their experiences for the first time and chart out the way forward for social responsibility in football in India and the region,” he added.

Commenting on the CSR component of the new companies’ law in India and the discussion that animated the session on CSR and football, Prince Ali commended this new provision that elevates social responsibility in the corporate mindset.

“This is a great first step and we only hope that sport is incorporated as a CSR target area for Indian companies. Through sport in general and football, in particular, companies can help develop and educate youth, empower girls, promote health and instill values of respect and coexistence in society," noted Prince Ali.

“AIFF continues to support AFC in all its endeavours. We would like to take help from AFC and AFDP regarding CSR,” AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das addressed the media.

“AFC and UEFA signed an MOU last year. We will assess how we can incorporate CSR in this agreement and in our work with the AFC,” said Peter Gillieron, Chairman of CSR & Fair Play, UEFA.

Speaking during a Panel Discussion on the new Government regulations on CSR, All India Football Federation General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das said: “To excel in a sport played by 209 countries of which for most it is the No 1 sport and for many the only sport, it is a challenge to excel.”

“So I invite corporate house to help us build the base of the pyramid which is essentially Grassroots and Youth Development,” he added.

Das was accompanied by IMG-R Representative Priti Srivastava, FICCI’s Rajpal Singh, and CEO AFDP Urs Zanitti on the dais.

‘Rajpal Singh said: ‘Sports can play a very important role in the society.”

The joint AFC -AFDP initiative saw the participation of international experts from UEFA, West Ham United, The British Council, World Vision, Royal DSM, Global Alliance for Nutrition and streetfootballworld.

Representatives from AIFF including General Secretary Mr. Das, I-League Committee Chairman and Member, AFC Social Responsibility Committee Mr. AR Khaleel, and also delegates of the National Football Associations from South and Central Asia Region of the AFC.

The recommendations from the seminar participants focused on three primary goals each with their own sub-objectives:

1. To develop a CSR Regional Hub (regional coordinator) for football in South & Central Asia mandated by the AFC with an objective to coordinate national football associations, national sport authorities/governments, national player associations, chamber of commerce, corporates, NGOs, foundations, local communities, the media, as well as a celebrity/figure heads.

2. To support the implementation of the AFC Child Nutrition Campaign at national and regional level as this is of particular concern to South Asia.

3. To link football to prevention of issues, which are of primary concern in the South & Central Asia Region. These issues were identified as:

4. FICCI and AIFF are proposing to include sports as a part of the 10 listed areas which fall under the purview of such investments by the corporate. The group recommended that the key stakeholders should focus on constructive creation of footballing projects along with corporate community rather than focus on business exchange through such initiatives.