|
Unleashing the magical spirit of the FIFA World Cup TM 2010, Coca-Cola India recently organized a month long inter-para (neighbourhood) football tournament in Kolkata in partnership with Kolkata Police. The tournament was undertaken to further promote football and also identify promising talent at the grassroots level. The final of the Kolkata Police-Cola-Cola Friendship Cup was played yesterday between the para teams of Mohunbagan Fans Club and Lake Gardens Amra Sabai Club. In a closely contested match, Young Strikers from Benaulim prevailed over Sirlim Sports Club to emerge as the winners of the 'Kolkata Police - Coca-Cola Friendship Cup'.
The tournament received an overwhelming response from the residents as well as all the football enthusiasts in Kolkata. The felicitation ceremony was attended by Ricardo Fort, Vice-President, Marketing, Coca-Cola India, legendary Brazilian footballer, Romário de Souza Faria along with Kanti Ganguly, MIC, Sundarban Affairs and Sports, Govt. Of West Bengal, Gautam Mohan Chakraborty, IPS, Commissioner of Kolkata Police and P.K Tewari, Chairman and Managing Director, Mahuaa Media Private Limited. Also present at the event was Padmashree Awardee and Former Indian Football Player, Pradeep Kumar Banerjee.
According to Ricardo Fort, Vice-President, Marketing, Coca-Cola India, "Coca-Cola India has always believed in promoting a healthy, active lifestyle through sports. Our partnership with Kolkata Police is an extension of the Company's worldwide focus on football. The Coca-Cola Company has been the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™ that began in 1978. We believe that great football talent exists in Kolkata. However, the need is to tap budding talent and nurture them well to bring them up to the international standards".
Ricardo Fort, Vice-President, Marketing, Coca-Cola India wishes the players the very best for the finals of the 'Kolkata Police-Coca-Cola Friendship Cup' in Kolkata
|
Mohunbagan Fans Club, the winners of the 'Kolkata Police-Coca-Cola Friendship Cup' celebrate their win
|
The Kolkata Police-Coca-Cola Friendship Cup is a grass root level football initiative to discover budding football talent. The inter-para tournament was played for over a month between 11th June, 2010 till 20th July, 2010. Played across 462 paras (neighbourood) in Kolkata the tournament involved participation of more than 6000 footballers. All matches involving 600 para teams were played in 7A Side / 9A Side /11A Side format. The winning and the runner-up teams were awarded a cash prize of Rs.40,000 each.
Adding further Ricardo said, "Initiatives such as the Kolkata Police-Coca-Cola Friendship Cup are part of the same endeavor. This innovative initiative has been designed to not only promote football as a sport, but also bring people together and share their passion for the game. I would also like to congratulate Mohunbagan Fans Club team for winning the finals and extend my congratulations to rest of the teams for making this tournament a huge success".
|
|
|
Players from Mohunbagan Fans Club and Lake Gardens Amra Sabai Club team battle it out to win the Kolkata Police-Coca-Cola Friendship Cup tournament.
|
During the felicitation ceremony, Gautam Mohan Chakraborty, IPS, Commissioner of Kolkata Police said, "We are delighted to receive such an overwhelming response to the 2010 Kolkata Police-Coca-Cola Friendship Cup. This unique initiative aims to scout best football talent from the grassroots level in Kolkata. I would like to thank Coca-Cola India for their support in making this initiative a big success and helping us indentify young promising football talent. I would also like to congratulate the winners of the Kolkata Police - Coca-Cola Friendship Cup".
Excited at winning the finals, Rajiv Ahir, Captain of Mohunbagan Fans Club said, "It is a proud moment for us to have won the finals of Kolkata Police-Coca-Cola Friendship Cup. It is our perseverance and team work that has helped us win the finals. On behalf of the entire team, I would like to thank our coach Atin Mukherjee for guiding us to this win. A big thank you to Kolkata Police and Coca-Cola India for organizing such a wonderful tournament. It truly gives young footballers like us a platform to showcase our talent."
As part of a special musical performance, the Kolkata Police music band replicated the true spirit of the FIFA World Cup TM 2010 by performing its official anthem 'Waaka Waaka'. The felicitation ceremony also saw some football fans sharing a Kodak moment with ace Brazilian Footballer, Romário de Souza Faria.
|
