New Delhi: All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Priya Ranjan Das Munshi on Wednesday summarily rejected a plea by the three Calcutta majors that foreign players should be barred from playing in Indian domestic football.

Speaking during the function to announce the detailed programme of the 11th National Football League (NFL) beginning here on January 5, Das Munshi said that foreign footballers would continue to play for different Indian clubs in domestic football.

“In 2005, when we offered to restrict foreigners from playing in India, the same three Calcutta clubs opposed the move,” Dasmunshi said. “Now that they have failed to recruit good foreign players this season, they want to revert back to the sons of the soil policy. This is ridiculous. Indian football doesn’t run as per the wishes of the three Calcutta clubs.”

So much so, that the AIFF has now decided to institute a ‘best foreign player’ award in this year’s NFL. “There will also be an award for ‘best Indian footballer’. The cash award for the Indian footballer, however, will be higher than that of the foreigner,” Das Munshi said.

On Friday at the Ambedkar Stadium here, Mohammedan Sporting will take on JCT in the NFL opener, which will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Oil major Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) has once again decided to sponsor the NFL for the second year running and at least 45 matches will be telecast live by the Zee Sports.

While rejecting the demand of the Calcutta clubs to ban foreigners, the AIFF has accepted their request to host their home matches in Barasat instead of Gurgaon in Haryana till the fourth round. The AIFF, however, couldn’t specify the dates for matches beyond the fourth round saying it would be done only after AFC confirms the dates of the AFC Cup matches involving Mohun Bagan and Mahindra United.

The federation has also decided to introduce gradation policy for footballers who could be called for various national camps in near future. “The players will be listed in A and B categories and the clubs will soon be informed,” said the AIFF chief.