BJP Leader Samir Dey Appointed as President of Football Association of Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Former minister and senior BJP leader Samir Dey has been elected unopposed as the president of the Football Association of Odisha (FAO). This development follows the nomination of Dey by the Rising Student Club. A formal announcement is expected on July 21, coinciding with the scheduled election of FAO office-bearers.

Ashirbad Behera will continue his role as the secretary of FAO.

The resignation of Debasish Samantray, the outgoing FAO president, marked a significant change in the association’s leadership. In his resignation letter to FAO secretary Behera, Samantray cited his inability to fulfill the demands of the role due to a busy schedule and personal commitments. Samantray, who represented the Radharaman Club of Cuttack, had secured the position for two consecutive terms. However, this time, his club did not nominate him for the presidency. In related news, sources indicate that Pranab Prakash Das, president of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), might also step down. Tensions between Das and OCA secretary Sanjay Behera, son of Ashirbad Behera, have reportedly escalated, particularly over candidate selections during the general elections. Sanjay Behera’s ambitions to contest the Cuttack-Barabati seat on a BJD ticket were thwarted when the party chose Prakash Behera, who ultimately finished third in the election.