25/10/2025
It is deeply unfortunate to see the condition of football in Kashmir today — everything is right before our eyes.
Over the past 20 to 25 years, countless injustices have taken place in football — whether against players, referees, or coaches — and today we are witnessing their consequences.
A few individuals have occupied the seats of the Football Association for years without any accountability.
At an age when young people, between 17 to 20 years old, should be stepping forward to become referees, we see 65- or even 70-year-old men still officiating matches.
This is truly shameful and clearly shows why football development in Kashmir has come to a standstill.
The Chairman of the Referees’ Association and the Head of the Referees Department must take full responsibility for this mismanagement and injustice.
For decades, they have failed to provide opportunities to young people or open doors for talented kids from villages.
That’s why football in Kashmir has fallen behind — because those who should have moved forward were pushed back,
and those who should have stepped aside are still clinging to their chairs.
