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A record 17th Durand Cup title, their first in two decades, a cathartic revenge over their arch-rivals in the final - it was much more than just a pre-season tournament win for Mohun Bagan and their fans. They defeated East Bengal in the final on a humid evening at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan on Sunday.
However, much to the dismay of the viewers, the crowning moment of their celebration, the instant that is set to be snapped by photographers, and treasured by their multitude of fans for generations to come, was marred by a sight that is becoming all too familiar in Indian Football.
As the players and the coaching staff posed with the trophy, they were joined by politicians, presidents, club officials, guests, organizers, and a number of other persons not associated with Mohun Bagan's team. The officials made their way to the centre of the frame, standing behind the trophies and the board that read 'CHAMPIONS'. The players and staff were nonchalantly sidelined to the peripheries.
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Organizers and owners have a very critical role to play in planning, financing, and executing any tournament or the success of a team in the tournament. However, one would never see them hogging the limelight at the expense of the players in a national-level competition in any of the top footballing countries in Asia or around the world.
Nothing warrants this ingrained sense of entitlement, especially when it compromises the effort put in by the players and the coaching staff in winning silverware, the most rewarding aspect of competitive sport. Unfortunately, athletes being understated and downplayed in similar moments were not uncommon in Indian Football in the last 12 months.
The Sunil Chhetri fiasco in the 2022 Durand Cup Final
Same competition, same stage, similar drama. When the most accomplished Indian Footballer of our generation, Sunil Chhetri, walked onto the stage to collect the President's Cup (one of the three trophies awarded to Durand Cup champions) after Bengaluru FC emerged victorious in the 2023 final, he was pushed back by the erstwhile Governor of West Bengal, L.a. Ganesan.
The reason? Because Chhetri was apparently standing between him and the cameras.
Until 2019, the Chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), Nita Ambani, would accompany the winning team in their celebrations with the trophy in the Indian Super League final every season.
The IWL 2023 Final Drama
The Indian Women's League 2023 Champions Gokulam Kerala, were in for a very interesting trophy presentation experience after the final.
According to a report by Radha Lath Gupta for Scroll.in, "A bizarre series of events followed just as the winners’ cheque of Rs 10 lakh was handed out, followed by a few moments to take photographs. The players were ushered off the makeshift stage, the branding boards were turned around and the IWL logos were blocked by potted plants.
A set of young men who sat in the stands on Sunday for the entirety of the IWL final between Gokulam Kerala and Kickstart FC – the former winning 5-0 – were now called on stage to receive their prizes. What, moments earlier, was the IWL trophy presentation had now become the prize distribution ceremony of the Gujarat State Football Association Club Championship."
Not only is the IWL the top-flight women's league in the country, but its winners also qualify for the AFC's continental tournament for women, while many players have also been scouted from the league to play in Europe. It is an unfortunate reminder of the stark disparities in recognition and respect that female athletes face compared to their male counterparts.
East Bengal FC players given towels after 2023 Women's IFA Shield Victory
The Indian Football Association (IFA) organized the first-ever Women's IFA Shield at Nadia in West Bengal earlier this year. East Bengal FC trounced Sreebhumi FC 5-0 in the Final and were congratulated with towels on the podium.
While the team also received cash prizes, giving towels instead of medals will be duly remembered as one of the most infamous moments in Indian Football. It also successfully paints the picture of the different systemic issues that male and female athletes face, across the footballing pyramid in India.
What needs to change?
It's a big ask but there has to be a mentality shift among the officials. They may reign supreme in their circles - which also includes helming the execution of a complex sporting event, but celebrating a trophy is solely for the athletes and the coaching staff. It is, after all, they who have won it.
How the players are being congratulated is key. For a long while, the spotlight has been fixated upon the officials and dignitaries. This practice not only undermines the essence of sportsmanship but also sends a disheartening message to aspiring athletes and fans alike.
Shifting this mindset is not merely a matter of optics; it is a testament to the reverence and respect that should be accorded to those who have earned the title of champions through their commitment and talent. It is their moment, let them cherish it.
