AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: All India Football Federation’s General Secretary, Mr. Kushal Das, and Technical Director Scott O’Donell met with Kieran Lilley of Football Federation Australia and Franck Castillo of Oceania Football Confederation, as part of the Just Play initiative taken by the AIFF to extend the horizons of Football in India, at the AIFF Headquarters today (January 18, 2016). Also present on the occasion was FIFA Regional Development Officer, Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran.

A sports development programme, Just Play, is managed by the Oceania Football Confederation in partnership with the Football Federation of Australia. Through the programme, children between the ages of 6-12years, will learn, grow and explore the ‘beautiful game’.

Talking exclusively to www.the-aiff.com, AIFF’s Technical Director Scott O’Donell expressed, “Just Play gives us an opportunity to help expand our Grassroots program through the schools via PE teachers and outside schools, through our Grassroots Leaders”

“The Just Play is developed in such a way that it helps address the lack of engagement of children and young people with physical activities”

“The AIFF has already struck a chord with Just Play and we are planning a Pilot Project in association with Just Play in the State of Kerala soon, to catalyst the surge of Grassroots Football”, O’Donell informed.

The objective of the Just Play initiative in India is to not only promote the ‘beautiful game’, but help address social issues such as gender equality through Womens’ Football and improve the health outcomes and practices through engaging posterity in Football.