AIFF allows him to return to competitive footballFootball sensation, Adampur boy Anwar Ali gets his b’day gift

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 28

The two-year wait of this Gujjar family living at Chumo village in Adampur here to see their son and football sensation Anwar Ali back in the mainstream game finally got over after the All-India Football Federation last evening cleared him to play the game. The decision also came as a birthday gift for the star player who turned 20 today (Saturday).

Diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, he (the U-17 World Cup Indian defender of 2017) had been debarred by the AIFF’s medical committee from playing competitive football. He got training from Minerva Academy in Mohali, and had won accolades and a huge fan following after having represented India in the U-15, U-17 and U-19 events internationally when he was diagnosed with the problem at a Mumbai-based hospital during a medical examination.

Razaak Ali, father of Anwar, says he had never lost hope all these years. “I had always believed that he is God’s child. Allah ne usko janam din ka tohfa diya hai. I knew that He will take care of him and that he will surely be back in the game to represent the country at the highest level. The executive committee of the AIFF has asked Anwar Ali to submit an affidavit taking all responsibility and medical precautions to make him eligible for competitive football, for which he was always ready.”

Notably, all this while, Ali never looked back and continued with his fitness regimen and the game as he had challenged the decision of the AIFF in the Delhi High Court which in October last year had allowed him to continue playing till the AIFF arrived at a final decision. He had then joined Techtro Swades United Club and was once again seen in the grounds.

Razaak Ali maintained, “I had always said that there was no point in stopping him from pursuing his passion and livelihood especially when he showed no signs of fatigue or loss of stamina. All the recent setbacks have rather made him gain more physical and mental strength and he is set to return stronger now.”

Popularly known as ‘Billa’ for his light brown eyes, residents of his village too are celebrating his return to the mainstream game. “We now hope to see back our boy in full form the way he emerged in the U-17 FIFA team in 2017 that won 2-0 against Italy and in the U-20 COTIF Cup in 2018 against Argentina.”