Football Delhi launches Academy Accreditation and Licensing System in effort to promote sport

New Delhi: In a bid to improve football, professionalise the set-up and to reach out to every stakeholder in the National Capital Region (NCR), Football Delhi has implemented the Academy Accreditation and Licensing System. [caption id=“attachment_6920501” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Delhi is the first state association to do so. This is an effort to ensure that every small football academy in the city, including schools and NGO-operated football training centres in the NCR, benefits as Football Delhi tries to spread the sport. The system will be operational from 23 November and all the details will be available online on the official website of FA. Objective and transparent criteria are being devised to grant licenses to academies and make them a valuable part of the football structure in Delhi. A strict licensing system will be employed so that standards are met and a standardised and professional set-up is created with a bottom-up approach. While the academies will be eligible to fill in forms online and apply for accreditation, a physical visit and evaluation by Football Delhi will complete the process. “With academy accreditation and licensing system, we are making an attempt to make academies an integral part of the football structure in Delhi. With all the details available on the website, academies will reach out to us and our reviewer will evaluate and monitor the academies,” said FA president Shaji Prabhakaran. “If they meet the standardised protocols, they will be granted immediate accreditation and license. However, if they fail, they will be handheld to reach the desired criteria.” “The goal is not to segregate but to integrate so that football can spread to every nook and corner and every academy is an equal stakeholder in the developmental process,” Prabhakaran added. Once it starts, the system will also help parents to take an informed decision for shortlisting an academy for their children as there will be a certain set transparent standard which would be reflected in the academy star ratings. There will be three categories of licenses or star ratings (1 to 3 star ratings). Star 3 rating means the academies are the best in Delhi and they will have a certain standard in the following areas: coaching staff, facility, medical and safety, child protection policy, calendar of activities, programme, gender equality, and also link with registered football clubs of Delhi.