Tibetans plot return to footballing heights

Four years after they hit the scene in a burst of publicity and then faded away, the Tibetan football team is plotting its return. And the s...

Four years after they hit the scene in a burst of publicity and then faded away, the Tibetan football team is plotting its return. And the sights are set on an international tournament for non-FIFA countries next year.

Kalsang Dhandup, secretary of the Tibetan National Sports Association, said these countries held a meeting in Paris last month and decided to on next year8217;s tournament. And that has given the annual Gyaigum Chemo Memorial Football Tournament, currently being played here, even more importance as a talent-spotting area.

The journey for the Tibetan national team started in 1999 when they played against a rock group in Italy. In 2001, the team visited Denmark and, despite protests from China, played a match against Greenland.

That same year they also played against a German team and one from Monaco, followed by matches against teams from the Tibetan diaspora in Switzerland. 8216;8216;It has not been an easy going as we have been followed by the Chinese everywhere8217;8217;, team coach Thupten Choephel told The Indian Express.

That hasn8217;t been the only problem. In August 2000, the 22-member Tibetan football team was denied visas for France on the grounds that 8216;8216;some members of the team8217;8217; planned to overstay in France.

It8217;s prompted the TNFA plans to be cautious this time. And ambitious too. 8216;8216;The first step being the search for an international coach8217;8217;, says Kalsang. There is a Tibetan coach who is employed with the Sports Authority of India but he is posted in Sikkim. 8216;8216;SAI has been helpful to us with providing us coached and practice facilities but they have not been able to give us a coach of our choice8217;8217;, he adds.

But the main problem still remains that of raising finances for a team that comprises players from the exiled Tibetan community settled in India, Nepal and Europe. 8216;8216;We have not yet approached the Tibetan government as they too are facing similar problems8217;8217;, says Kalsang.

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Thupten feels that right now the team lacks experience in playing against good opposition. Remembering the generation of Tibetan footballers who played in the 60s or 70s in Darjeeling and Kalimpong against teams like Nepal Royals, Sikkim United and Bengal Tigers, Kalsang says what is needed is an outside touch.

For the time being the team may be lying low, but as Kalsang puts it, they are not out. 8216;8216;We will definitely prove our worth, it8217;s only a matter of time8217;8217;, he says.