New Delhi, July 29 -- AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey reiterated the decision to create a Benevolence Fund to support individuals associated with football, including ex-players, coaches, referees, match officials, support staff, and even football journalists.

An AIFF release said the fund will provide a one-time grant for medical purposes, with terms and conditions to be set by the relevant committees.

He cited recent instances where individuals sought financial help for serious medical conditions, but AIFF lacked a specific fund or policy to support them. To initiate the fund, the President announced a personal contribution of RS 1,00,001, which was matched by Vice President NA Haris, bringing the initial total to RS 2,00,002.

AIFF will...