Namchi all set to host 4th All India CM’s Gold Cup Football Tournament
Posted by barunroy on October 13, 2008
FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS
GANGTOK, October 12: Namchi is all set to host the 4th edition of All India Chief Minister’s Gold Cup Football Tournament from October 15 at Bhaichung Stadium.
The opening ceremony of the tournament will be held on October 15 at with the match between SDF A vs BNR Kolkata, informs a press release issued by the South District Football Association.
The 16 teams who have confirmed in the tournament include BNR, Kolkata, Calcutta Customs, George Telegraph, ONGC, Army XI, Mizoram State Team, Manipur State Team, Arunachal Pradesh State Team, Nepal, Bhutan, Assam Rifles, Mohun Bagan SAIL, SAI India (Kolkata), Kunchanjunga Football Academy (Darjeeling), Sikkim Sports Academy, Gangtok and SDF A.
“Kunchunjunga Football Academy got the berth in the tournament by virtue of being the winner of Independence Cup. With the participation of state teams and good football clubs, this year the tournament is expected to be tougher than the previous year,” the release states.
The release further states that the renovation of the Baichung Stadium is almost complete and that all other preparations are in place.
Besides football matches, opening and closing ceremony will also have additional attraction of “Synchronised Traditional Musical Orchestra” of Sikkim.
According to the release, the orchestra will be a unique blend of traditional local musical instruments played in harmony by about 150 local artists.
On the closing ceremony and the final match of the tournament scheduled on October 26, the SFFA has plans to felicitate Baichung Bhutia. Mr. Bhutia is expected to attend the final match.
The football tournament is organized every year at Namchi in order to encourage youngsters to take up sports, especially football as their career. South District of Sikkim has already produced footballers of the likes of Baichung Bhutia, Nirmal Chettri, Sanju Pradhan etc, the release adds.
