U-14 Football Trials Row in Kashmir: Merit benched, favoritism plays first

By Muqeet Mubashir

Srinagar, Aug 19: The recently concluded Under-14 Inter-District Football Championship trials in Kashmir for the upcoming U-14 Inter-Division level Competition have sparked a storm of controversy, with national-level footballers and football clubs having levelled allegations of favouritism in the selection process.

Players, clubs, and coaches across the Valley have accused the Youth Services and Sports (YSS) Department of sidelining merit in favour of “influential footballers,” triggering widespread anger in the sports community.

The controversy intensified after Bandipora’s U-14 squad, which fought its way to the semi-finals and clinched third place, saw just one player selected for the  U-14 Inter-Division level Competition.

Surprisingly, Srinagar district — knocked out in the pool stage during trials — secured five spots in the UT level squad.

Out of the 18 players picked from the Kashmir Valley, five hailed from Srinagar, four each from Budgam and Baramulla, and just one each from Bandipora, Pulwama, Kupwara, Anantnag, and Kulgam.

National-level footballer and Brazilian-certified coach Tahir Beigh took to social media to express his frustration. “Is this football or favouritism?” he asked in a strongly worded post, calling the decisions an “injustice” to young players who had proven their worth on the field. “Such practices demoralise grassroots talent and undermine the very spirit of the game,” he warned.

“If it continues, soon there will be no clubs in Kashmir. Let them get reservations for a few elite people now, like in employment, so that real sportspeople stop aspiring to big dreams and working hard,” said another footballer from  Ganderbal.

His concerns found support among football coaches and players. A coach from Ganderbal said the selection had “shattered the dreams” of many youngsters. “Talent and dedication should be the only yardsticks, not district affiliations,” he remarked. A young player from Kupwara added that the outcome left him questioning whether hard work mattered in Kashmir’s football system.

When contacted, one of the selectors, Bilal Ahmed Parray, defended the choices, insisting that selections were based on “individual merit and capabilities, not team performance or match results.”

Shockingly, he, however, argued that the “overall standard” of Srinagar footballers remained superior, though he could not explain why players from districts that reached the finals and semifinals were ‘below standard’ despite performing consistently throughout the tournament.

Football clubs across north and south Kashmir alleged that favouritism by “a small elite circle in Srinagar” has long plagued the sport, driving away real talent. “Many young footballers give up the game in disappointment. Sports are supposed to empower youth, but merit is being crushed openly,” said a club representative. Several demanded an independent, time-bound inquiry monitored by the office of the Lieutenant Governor.

They further alleged that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union leaders repeatedly stress youth engagement through sports, systemic corruption and bias in grassroots selections are instead pushing talented players into despair.

Responding to the uproar, Director General Youth Services and Sports J&K, Anuradha Gupta, confirmed that her office has received formal complaints. “An officer has been directed to investigate the allegations, and the final UT-level squad will only be finalised after the inquiry,” she assured.

The controversy has once again brought into focus long-standing grievances about transparency and accountability in sports administration in Kashmir, where football remains one of the most popular games among the youth.