New Delhi: The Indian national football team encountered a unique challenge during their participation in the AFC Asian Cup 2024, as they were the only team among the 24 nations competing without donning GPS vests. The absence of GPS vests impacted Bharat’s performance in the tournament.
According to an official from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the GPS vests and other equipment were misplaced by airlines following the conclusion of the 2023 Asian Games. Coach Igor Stimac highlighted this issue in the report submitted to the AIFF.
Despite the Indian football team’s recent commendable achievements throughout last year, the team faced significant challenges in the AFC Asian Cup, losing all three matches. Coach Stimac’s report emphasised the detrimental impact of the missing GPS equipment on the team’s confidence and on-field performance.
The GPS vests and technical equipment, a device that evaluates players performance by recording information related to their position, speed, and distance covered, went missing in the return flight after the Asian Games. The players returned to Bharat on flights operated by four private companies. Despite efforts to locate the lost GPS vests through communication with the private companies that transported them, the equipment remains missing.
During the Asia Cup 2024 tournament, Bharat encountered setbacks, unable to secure victories against formidable opponents like Australia, Syria, and Uzbekistan. Reports indicate that the primary factor contributing to this outcome was the absence of GPS equipment. Following the conclusion of the group stage, Bharat and Hong Kong were the only two teams with a score of -6 points and found themself at the bottom of the point table.
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