Lahore, 31 March: Mian Rizwan Ali, newly-elected President of the Lahore District Football Association (LDFA), said that Lahore is full of talented footballers but there was no protected platform was designed for them to keep their future bright by previous LDFAs. The majority of footballers erupted from Lahore but they came into the limelight due to their own uphill struggle and dedication. I will try myself best to give firm podium to Lahore football.
Also President of Model Town Football Academy, Rizwan clinched the post unopposed to become new LDFA Chief and take control of one of the biggest football districts on Wednesday. He urged LDFA clubs to support him with both hands in the larger interest of the game as it is one of the key bodies of the country. The LDFA Elections were held at local hotel of Sanda Road with Election Convener Chaudhry Liaquat Iqbal supervising the proceedings. Speaking to media, Liaquat confirmed that rival group had not turned up. Thus their withdrawal paved the way for the unopposed election of Rizwan who alone had been left in the fray for the post. As soon as results announced, celebrations started in the Rizwan Group camp with his supporters, club officials hugging him from all around.
Rizwan, manager of PFF XI during First E.K.Nayanar Memorial International Gold Cup 2007 at Municipal Jawahar Stadium, Kannur (Kerala), thanked all the voting clubs for reposing confidence on him.
AFC Legal Committee Chairman and Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat also approved him as Match Commissioner for Lahore Test of Pakistan-Palestine Football Series on 1 March 2011 at Punjab Stadium. He said that “If LDFA want to get prosperous results than only total committed, welfare-oriented persons will be needed. There had been an unchecked downward slide in Lahore football in past and unless concerted efforts were taken the situation would plunge to abysmal depths.”
Mian Rizwan won the heart of PFF management last year when he topped PFF Match Commissioner Workshop at Lahore in Non-FIFA Referee segment and he is clearly the best Match Commissioner of country’s football.
“I joined the election party with the only objective to streamline Lahore football by introducing reform with annual LDFA League in three Tier and elimination Cup tourney, and taking drastic measures and giving fair chance to promising players in domestic football,” concluded Rizwan who also showed his class as brilliant Match Commissioner in Pakistan Premier League 2006, 2008 and 2010. He was also Chief Organizer of National event’s under PFF banner – 19th National U18 Championship 2007 and 11th National U13 Festival of Football 2009.
Lahore-born Rizwan, liaison officer of Jordan, Singapore and Bahrain during qualifiers of 14th Asian Cup 2006 and 29th Olympic Games 2007 is also manager of Elba Pure Water that used to play PFF League. Rizwan is currently head of six categories in the MTFA family viz Model Town Club, Model Town Academy, Women Wing of Acedemy, Model Town United FC, Model Town Football Referees Academy (Male/Female).
Lahore District FA 2011-15 is comprised of President Mian Rizwan Ali (Model Town FC), Vice Presidents M. Masood Khawaja (Afshan FC), Anees Ahmad Lodhi (Pensi FC), General Secretary Aniq-ur-Rehman (Fatima Memorial FC) and four Executive Members Haji M. Sharif (Shaheen FC), Muhammad Hanif ( Walton FC), Mian Zulifqar Ali (Gulshan Ravi FC), Asad Jugranvi (Flying Horse FC). Anees Ahmed Khan forwarded to Provincial Congress.