Correspondent
RUKSIN, 25 Jun: The first edition of the Lobo Cup Veteran Running Football Tournament, organised by the Ruksin Sports Association, began at the village playground here in East Siang district on Monday.
The opening match was played between Niglok Veteran FC and the Ralung Veteran team. Niglok Veteran FC won it by 5-1 goals.
The champion team will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 40,000 with a trophy, and the runner-up team will get Rs 20,000 with a trophy.
Eminent citizens of the area have sponsored attractive prizes for the best player, the highest scorer, the best defender and the best goalkeeper.
A total of seven soccer teams are participating in the tournament. The final match is scheduled to be held on 8 July, the organisers said.
Addressing the tournament’s opening ceremony, former Adi Students’ Union leader Nang Gao and panchayat member Okang Moyong spoke on the benefits of games and sports, and advised the players to “maintain discipline and sportsmanship during the tournament.”
Ruksin Range Forest Officer (T) Opang Jamoh, who is leading the organising committee, urged the veterans and youths to “keep playing in order to prevent early age-old ailments.”
The tournament is being organised with the aim of keeping the veterans away from evil practices like drug abuse and consumption of alcohol and narcotic substances.
