FPAI aim to standardise contracts

In an attempt to standardise footballers contracts and reduce arbitration between players and clubs...

In an attempt to standardise footballers contracts and reduce arbitration between players and clubs,the Football Players Association of India (FPAI) on Monday initiated a move to educate the players.

Last season,Steven Dias and NP Pradeep signed up for East Bengal outside an existing contract due to ignorance but were forced to remain with Mahindra United after the Mumbai outfit won an appeal of breach from the All India Football Federation. The FPAI is hoping that an awareness campaign towards the AIFF and international norms regarding players contract and responsibilities will ensure such incidents are not repeated.

Around 40 players from all the top clubs in Bengal assembled at the Parsee Club to understand the nuances of players contracts. It is going to a revolutionary move. What it is going to do is to have a standard contract for the players so that there is no confusion, said Sunil Chhetri. At present,there is no standardised format for a players contract in India and mostly the footballers reach a verbal agreement with the clubs before signing on the dotted line.

Bagan offer reward

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A day after Mohun Bagan beat Dempo and kept their I-League title hopes alive,the green-and-maroon management upped the ante by shooting off a letter to the AIFF asking for better refereeing and also announcing a cash incentive of Rs 5 lakh to Mohammedan Sporting should they beat Churchill Brothers in their last match.

Bagan and Churchill are tied on top of the league with 43 points each though the latter has a better goal average. Mohun Bagan secretary Anjan Dutta said on Monday that they would stand by their commitment even if Bagan eventually lose against Mahindra,and with that the title.