Jaipur: The five Indian Football League (IFL) home matches of Rajasthan United Football Club (RUFC) are likely to be shifted from Jaipur because of lack of floodlight facilities at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium.For the last couple of years, RUFC hosted their home encounters at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium but the local football fans could be deprived of watching their home team in action at the venue this season, which begins on February 27.The RUFC will play their first couple of matches away from Jaipur before they launch their home leg with a match against Namdhari FC on March 13.The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided to broadcast all the Indian Football League matches live on TV during the prime time between 6 pm and 9 pm.Most of the IFL teams have floodlights at their home ground but since RUFC does not enjoy this facility, the national governing football body might have to shift their Jaipur matches to either Hyderabad or Haryana.The RUFC chairman KK Tak is not happy with the way things are happening in the last few months. Tak has written several letters to the authorities including the state sports ministry office but to no avail.“For the last few months I have been continuously contacting political leaders and officials and taking follow-ups but nothing happened so far. The government officials have only given promises but the actual work of floodlight installation has not started yet. I am tired of requesting them again and again to sanction tender for floodlights but it seems the authorities are not serious about sports,” Tak told TOI on Monday.The RUFC is one of the leading teams in the IFL and finished creditable fifth last season.“If the government sports department doesn’t take up this issue urgently, we may lose all our five home games. Our team used to play at the Vidhyadhar Nagar ground and did quite well last year. I urge authorities to take quick action and save our home matches,” added Tak.He pointed out that the govt is helping cricket and sanctioned a big amount for SMS Stadium upgradation but ignoring football.
