Short corner -- Gulf Oil sponsors WIFA football leagues

Friday, July 4 1997

Short corner -- Gulf Oil sponsors WIFA football leagues

Gulf Oil India Limited have come forward with an umbrella sponsorship of the top three leagues of the Western India Football Association (WIFA). The sponsorship deal covers the Super, Senior and First Divisions and the leagues will be called the Gulf Oil League.

Disclosing this at a press conference here yesterday, Vivek Singh of the Procam Sports, the promoters of the event, announced that Gulf Oil have committed towards sponsoring three of the WIFA football leagues and from this season onwards the new sponsors will provide trophies and prize money.

The top six of the Super and First Divisions and the top three of the Senior Division will receive cash awards. The company have also adopted Trade Indian Football Club, a First Division side.

Kalyan Dasgupta, the Managing Director of Gulf Oil India Private Limited informed that the long-term commitment of the umbrella sponsorship will depend upon the successful outcome in the first year. The sponsorship guarantees the WIFA Rs two lakh.

The winners and runners-up in the Super Division League would be richer by Rs 25,000 and 17,000 respectively, while the next four teams would get Rs 14,000, Rs 12,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 7,000.

The First Division winners would get Rs 11,000 while the runners-up would make Rs 6,000 followed by Rs 3,000, Rs 2500, Rs 2000 and Rs 1000 by the next four teams. The winner of the Senior Division will take home Rs 20,000, while the runners-up will get Rs 15,000 with the third-placed side collecting Rs 5000. The top goal scorer in the Senior Division would be richer by Rs 5000, Dasgupta added.

Prof Shetty appointed manager

Professor Ratnakar Shetty of Mumbai has been appointed manager of the Indian cricket team for the tour of Sri Lanka starting next week. Shetty is currently the joint secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association.

India will play in the Asia Cup before staying back in the island country to play a two-Test series and a One-Day international contest.

Junior tourney put off

The first Junior State Selection badminton tournament, scheduled to be held at Pune from July 14, has been put off. The junior Inter-District and State Open tournament, which was to be held at Latur, would now be held at Pune and the dates would be intimated later, according to a release here today.