AIFF general secretary Kushal Das writes to Bahrain FA on absence of live telecast of India's friendly

New Delhi: Disappointed at the absence of live telecast of India’s international friendly against higher-ranked Bahrain, All India Football Federation general secretary Kushal Das has taken up the issue with Bahrain Football Association.

India and Bahrain will lock horns in Manama on Wednesday night.

As it emerged that the Indian senior men team’s match will not be telecast live, Das expressed his disappointment in a letter addressed to his counterpart in the Bahrain Football Association.

Writing to Rashid Abdulla Alzaabi, the AIFF general secretary said, “Despite our best efforts in working with the Bahrain TV to live telecast and stream the international friendly against Bahrain, owing to the technical feasibility and support available from their end, it wouldn’t be possible to telecast the said match in India.

“Bahrain TV is neither being able to provide English graphics and English commentary, nor being able to uplink the live feed on any of the satellites available over India or send the signal via an RTMP link to the AIFF.”

“It comes as a massive disappointment that despite having a tripartite agreement signed way back in December 2021 for the production and broadcast of the match, the fans of football will miss the joy of watching their Nation play an international match,” Das wrote in his letter.

The Bahrain Football Association are yet to formally respond to the letter.

India have never beaten Bahrain in their football history, the drawn match (0-0) in 1982 being its best result so far.

In the last meeting between the two sides in the 2019 Asian Cup in the UAE, Bahrain had emerged victorious through a stoppage-time goal from a spot kick. Till then, India, under Stephen Constantine, were on the verge of booking a historic knock-out berth in the Asian Cup.