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His low-cost carrier is set to take off from Indian skies shortly, and Air Asia chief Tony Fernandes is already planning to enter another area in India — football. Fernandes, who’s not a greenhorn in football, has plans to bring international teams to India, along with his own Queens Park Rangers (QPR), to hold leagues in the country, say sources.
The Malaysian entrepreneur holds a 65 per cent stake in QPR, a leading UK-based team, in which Lakshmi Mittal, chairman of ArcelorMittal, holds about 33 per cent. In recent past, he had visited football stadiums in cities such as Kolkata, Chennai and Kochi and had discussions with people concerned to check the conditions and availability of stadiums.
Apart from participation of QPR in matches in India, the Air Asia chief executive has plans to tie up with local football teams to promote domestic football.
Fernandes is now in India to meet government officials and aviation stakeholders to discuss the launch of his India joint venture, AirAsia India.
On Sunday, he had discussions with owners of Kochi-based football club, Eagles FC, for joining hands. Without disclosing details, Shafi Mather, director of the club, said: “The talks are at a very early stage.”
N Venugopal, chairman of The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), who also had a discussion with Fernandes, said: "We have learnt he is interested to hold matches at the Kochi International stadium. They have already engaged in discussions with other football associations in Chennai and Kolkata. We hope that entry of international football teams, including Queens Park, will give a great boost and change the face of local football." GCDA is the planning and development authority for the metropolitan area of Cochin.
QPR consists of highly rated Brazilian international goalkeeper Julio Cesar, hired from Inter Milan in 2012. Julio Cesar is the goalkeeper of the present Brazil national team which has lifted the 2013 Confederations Cup on Sunday.Mails sent to Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandes and spokesman Aziz Laikar did not elicit any response till the time of going to press.
Fernandes also wants to make Queens Park Rangers to participate in football league, I-League, organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). AIFF has already received an application from the club for the entry into next year’s I-League. Praful Patel, former civil aviation minister, is the president of AIFF.
A statement from AIFF said, "Queens Park has given a tentative proposal to participate in the I-League from 2014-15 onwards after fulfilling all the criteria and standards as required."
The major teams which are participating in current I-League include Churchill Brothers SC, Kingfisher East Bengal Club, Dempo Sports Club, Salgaocar FC, Air India FC, ONGC FC and McDowell Mohun Bagan AC.
Apart from the 14 teams for the last I League, AIFF has selected 2 new clubs - JSW Sports Pvt. Ltd and Mumbai Tigers FC for the 2013-14 edition of the I-League.
