Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Just days before their AFC Women’s Asian Cup opener against Vietnam in Perth, India’s women footballers found themselves dealing with an unexpected problem — ill-fitting kits and lack of proper training gear. In a rare and strongly worded letter to AIFF Deputy General Secretary M Satyanarayanan, all 26 players expressed frustration, saying the issue had hurt their morale at a crucial time.“Representing India on the international stage requires professional standards, including properly fitted and appropriate match and training apparel,” the letter said.The players revealed they had already faced problems during preparation due to inadequate clothing. “The arrival of incorrect match kits at this crucial stage has further affected morale and disrupted our focus in the final days leading up to the match.”Shockingly, the kits were reportedly too small, with sizes seemingly meant for Under-15 players and not fitting at least 80% of the squad. Even the coaching staff received incorrectly sized kits.“This tournament marks our return to a major continental competition after 23 years and is a significant moment for Indian women’s football. Unfortunately, on Matchday Minus 2… we discovered a serious issue. The kits supplied are not fit for purpose.”The letter, signed by eight senior players including captain Sweety Devi and Grace Dangmei but backed by the entire squad, demanded urgent action. “We urgently request: 1. Immediate provision of correctly sized match and training kits… 2. Confirmation that suitable replacements will be delivered before kickoff. 3. Clarification on the steps being taken to prevent such incidents in the future,” it further added.Despite the setback, the players added, “We remain fully committed to representing our country with pride and giving our best performance.”The AIFF later said new kits had been provided and cleared by AFC officials.
