The small amounts collected from the Indian footballers as fines for minor breach of discipline are being put to use for a noble cause as the team decided to donate ₹50,000 to the Indian Blind Football Federation.

The fines were collected from the National team members over the past few years for breach of discipline like arriving late for training sessions, carrying mobile phones for meals, wearing the wrong attire.

This money donated by the ‘Blue Tigers’ will be used by the IBFF to buy footballs.

Head Coach Stephen Constantine said “it’s important to give it back to the community. “The footballs which the blind footballers use cost $50 each. So we are helping them busy some balls,” he said ahead of India’s Asian Cup group match against hosts United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

“We collectively agreed among everybody within the national team — the players, and the staff — that any money collected from fines or any misdemeanours will be donated for a good cause. It’s just a very small gesture, but it shows that we can.”