Vora resigns as NDFA Prez

 Financial penalty on YMFC reason for resignation; NDFA’s emergency meet today

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR District Football Association’s (NDFA) long serving President Haresh Vora has tendered his resignation from his post with immediate effect. In a late-night development, Vora, who has been at the helm of the association since 2015, submitted his resignation to Secretary Iqbal Kashmiri on Saturday.

According to reliable sources, 72-year-old Vora was under tremendous pressure since past few months.

The resignation was a fall-out of the tussle between NDFA and Young Muslim Football Club (YMFC) regarding fine of Rs 50,000 imposed on the club for abusing NDFA referee during last month’s Dr Nitin Raut Football Tournament.

Though the fine amount was reduced from Rs 50k to Rs 30,000, some of the members were against this decision, according to sources who attended the meeting.

Also, YMFC President Kamil Ansari, who is also the Vice-President of NDFA, showed his inability to pay Rs 30,000.

“I don’t want to be part of this mess. I have been used as a soft target. I have good relations with Kamilbhai and also with my executive committee members. But safety of referees is paramount. When I suggest reduction in fine, many executive committee members opposed it. But later they accepted to Rs 30,000 as fine. But now, YMFC President wants it to be reduced to Rs 11,000 which I and NDFA are against. Everybody wants my support and nobody wants to support my decision. Hence I have decided to resign,” Vora said while talking with ‘The Hitavada’ on Saturday.

“Rs 50,000 is a huge amount. Running a club in Nagpur is not an easy ask (financially). Still, we have accepted our mistake but I can pay only Rs 11,000,” stated Ansari.

“I am in the association for the past 40 years and also have a good relation with Vora. He is the man behind the development of football in the city. We have good personal relations and that’s why I have decided to pay the fine (Rs 11,000) from my own pocket,” stated Ansari.

However, the committee members have decided not to reduce the fine further after reducing it once.

With no positive solution and having cordial relations with Ansari, Vora decided to resign from his post.

Kashmiri said that clubs are taking us (association) for granted.

“Club’s can’t dictate the association. They can’t request how much fine they want to pay. They have accepted their mistake and now they want further concession. This is not acceptable,” said Kashmiri.

In his undated resignation letter, which is in possession of ‘The Hitavada’, Vora blamed YMFC for his resignation and supported NDFA members. 

“This attitude of YMFC and their officials is not in the interest of the association. I am sending my resignation as our association’s dignity should not be tarnished,” read Vora’s letter.

Meanwhile, NDFA has called an emergent meeting of its office bearers to find out a solution for this clamour.

“We (executive committee) will be meeting on Sunday evening and will decide whether to accept the resignation and whether to suspend YMFC from participating in the Elite Division League,” said Kashmiri.

YMFC has won Elite Division titles in 2007, 2008, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2023.