Bangladesh to Host 3rd SAFF Tournament

[Abs]

The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) has asked the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) to host the 3rd SAFF Championship 2001 between October 25 to November 15.

This was disclosed by SAFF general secretary and an assistant general secretary of BFF Sirajul Islam Bachchu while briefing the local reporters at a press conference on the recent meeting of the regional football association held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last week.


Two newly elected vice-president of BFF--Dr. Shamimuzzaman Basunia and Abdur Rahim--were also present at the briefing.


Speaking to the newsmen at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, Bachchu revealed that except for Pakistan, all the other six member countries of the SAFF--India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka-- had representatives at the meeting and agreed to take part in the championship.


General secretary of Asian Football Confederation Peter Valappan and representatives of Asian Marketing Limited, the sponsors of the SAFF Championship, were also present at the meeting.


This is for the first time, Bhutan will be sending their national side to the competition.


According to Bachchu, Pakistan have also given their verbal consent to participate in the 3rd SAFF Championship. The previous two editions were held in Kathmandu, Nepal and Goa, India in 1997 and 1999 respectively.


It may be mentioned that tournament was originally scheduled last year. But due to the reluctance of the AML, who were more busy with the Asian Cup in Lebanon, the meet was not held in the proposed time.


AML will pay USD 500,000 (five lakh) to SAFF for organising the event from which the BFF will get USD 200,000 (two lakh) as the hosts while six other participating nations will receive USD 25,000 each for their preparations and travel expenses.


SAFF will get USD 60,000 for other expenditures while the rest, USD 90,000 is allocated as prize money. The champions will earn USD 50,000, runners up USD 25,000 while the third placed team USD 15,000.


Bachchu said that this tournament was going to become the biggest footballing event in the subcontinent as only the under-23 teams of the member countries would take part in the SAF Games from this year.


When asked where the championship would be held since Bangabandhu National Stadium would be busy with cricket during October and November, Bachchu avoided the question saying it was the responsibility of BFF to decide where they would stage the meet adding that he was only representing SAFF in the briefing.