New Delhi, Sep 5: Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Wednesday assured FIFA that the government will extend all support to the world body for hosting the U-17 World Cup here in 2017.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke and Thierry Regenass, FIFA's director of member associations and development, met Maken here Wednesday and discussed a range of issues.
A top All India Football Federation (AIFF) official told IANS that during the meeting Maken addressed to all issues raised by FIFA for hosting the U-17 World Cup.
"FIFA had raised the issue of delay in government clearance for the U-17 World Cup. But Maken told them that it may take some time but eventually it will be cleared. Maken assured FIFA
that the government will extend its full support to the AIFF and FIFA for hosting the U-17 World Cup," the official said on the condition of anonymity.
Maken also told FIFA that it would help AIFF in all its developing activities.
During the meeting, possibilities of merging the football coaching course run by the sports ministry at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) and the AIFF was also
discussed.
