AIFF To Approach 24 PIO Players For India Selection: AIFF President

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is exploring the possibility of selecting Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) for the national duty and will approach 24 such players soon, president Kalyan Chaubey said. The inclusion of PIO and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) players in the national team has been a topic of debate for a long time. National team head coach Igor Stimac has already advocated the need to select PIO players for the Indian team. But it is easier said that done as the Indian law does not allow dual citizenship.

If a PIO players want to play for India, they have to take up Indian citizenship. A person must also stay in India for 12 months before applying for citizenship.

"We are looking to approach 24 PIO players who are playing across the world. But you know there is the issue of dual citizenship (not being permitted to play for India). So, we have to see how this can be done within the framework of Central Government's rules," Chaubey told PTI in an interview, without revealing the names of the players.

"We are having internal discussions on the matter and will come out with more details once more clarity is established." According to the draft minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of November 9, a sub-committee of the AIFF under Punjab Football Association president Samir Thapar "will collate data and information on the subject" to enable the national federation to arrive at a decision.

"Following pleas from many fronts on the inclusion of PIOs and OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India), the president (Chaubey) discussed with Thapar (during a visit to Punjab) and offered him to head a sub-committee," according to the draft minutes of the executive committee meeting.

"Thapar agreed and the sub committee