It’s the country’s first FIFA World Cup and some of Kerala’s beloved teams such as Brazil and Spain landed in Kochi on Tuesday. But strangely, the reception to the four teams that arrived at the Cochin international airport, Nedumbassery, was rather muted.
International teams, be it in football or cricket, arriving at the airport used to be a celebration of sorts in the past here. But there were no drums or traditional dancers this time as the four teams – North Korea and Niger were the others – which will contest the Group D matches of the under-17 World Cup from October 7 landed in the city.
Surprisingly, even the fans were missing as a heavy security cover was thrown over the teams at the airport.
State body staying away?
With top officials of the Kerala Football Association also missing, one even got the feeling that the State body was keeping away from the show.
But K.M.I. Mather, the KFA president, brushed away that thought.
“That’s not the case. FIFA officials had told us that they did not want a grand welcome for the teams. Security is a prime concern for them, they were worried that a grand welcome with all the fans could be a security issue,” said Mather.
“In fact, I had specifically asked them about it at a meeting around a month ago since we are used to having a grand reception for teams arriving here. But they discouraged me, they were not keen about it. So, there is no point in going against their wishes and messing up things,” he said.
“But we made sure that the police were in full force at the airport. For the FIFA officials, the main concern is security. If a huge crowd turned up and if something happened to the players, they said it would make international headlines,” explained Mather.
Meanwhile, outside the airport, finishing touches were being given to a huge football that was being put up by CIAL to mark the event.
An the championship venue Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, despite not being given a fresh coat of paint, had a blue look about it with the event’s billboards put up all around the oval.