Igor Stimac, the head coach of the Indian national football team, suggests that India should consider allowing players of Indian origin to represent the country. He highlights that many talented players of Indian origin are playing in top European leagues, and their inclusion could significantly benefit Indian football.
“I’m not sure if there is any other country which is not allowing players of their origin to represent their country,” Igor Stimac was quoted saying by Sportstar.
“It is a huge handicap because there are many good players of Indian origin playing in the top leagues of Europe. So it could be a huge help if we speak about bigger achievements.“
Notably, existing laws have restricted Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) from representing India internationally since 2008. The Constitution of India and the Citizenship Act of 1955 do not permit dual citizenship, requiring OCI and PIO cardholders to surrender their passports and reside in the country for at least 12 months to apply for an Indian passport.
This legal barrier creates a dilemma for footballers with Indian origin to decide which country to represent. However, Stimac’s proposal could open up opportunities for players like Yan Dhanda (Ross County, Scotland), Joshua Pynadath (Jong AZ, Netherlands), and Dilan Markanday (Blackburn Rovers, England) to potentially play for India.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is exploring possibilities, with its president, Kalyan Chaubey, forming a task force last year to identify and create a database of potential players of Indian origin worldwide. The task force, led by Samir Thapar, the president of the Punjab Football Association, is set to submit a report by the end of the month, indicating a proactive approach by AIFF to leverage the talent pool of players with Indian roots.
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