Igor Stimac took help of astrologer for team selection in 2022 Asian Games Qualifiers

Indian head coach Igor Stimac reportedly took the guidance of an astrologer to select the teams for the Asian Games Qualifiers last summer. The Blue Tigers lost to Jordan but defeated Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong in three successive games to finish at the top of their group and qualify for Asian Games. 

The AIFF secretary general at the time, Kushal Das, introduced Stimac to Bhupesh Sharma, the astrologer. He was paid between Rs 12-15 lakhs for his services over two months. There were over 100 messages exchanged between Igor Stimac and Sharma, with the astrologer influencing his team selection for the important games. 

Igor Stimac took guidance of astrologer for Asian Games Qualifiers line-up 

Indian Football Team Image via Twitter Igor Stimac took help of astrologer for team selection in 2022 Asian Games Qualifiers

Stimac said that Sharma “was recommended to me and I was convinced (by others) that I have to check upon his possible effects in sports.”

The national team manager has been criticised for speaking against the AIFF decisions, in what has been deemed a breach of contract. He has been vocal about his desire for ISL clubs to release players for the national team. However, the clubs have decided against this and his public comments have caused the board to issue him a show-cause. 

“I didn’t, pardon my language now, come to India to lick a**es,” he told The Indian Express. “I came to India to help. If you want my help, I need to tell you the truth. You can face it, you can help me to overcome the problems or you can tell me we’re not going to change anything, please coach go home, and I will go home happily and we’re going to stay friends.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More like this

Top 10 Most Popular International Cricket Teams on Social Media

Top Popular International Cricket Teams on Social Media 2025

Top Popular International Cricket Teams on Social Media: The cricket-playing nations across the world have die-hard fans...
India’s Bold Vision: 5,000 Unicorns in the Future – Piyush Goyal

India’s Bold Vision: 5,000 Unicorns in the Future –...

India has emerged as a global powerhouse for startups, with a thriving ecosystem that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship,...
ICC ODI World Cup: Top 5 Highest Score in World Cup history - all the details you need to know about!

ICC ODI World Cup: Top 5 Highest Score in...

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup has been a stage for cricketing excellence ever since it...
Brazil Legends Edge India All-Stars 2-1 in a Night of Football Nostalgia

Brazil Legends Edge India All-Stars 2-1 in a Night...

Football fans in Chennai were treated to an electrifying evening as the Brazil Legends secured a narrow...

LATEST: How to avail Nvidia GeForce Now in India...

Many of us don't have high-end gaming computers but want to play some graphic-intensive games. Nvidia launched...

LATEST NEWS

iOS 19 Compatibility: Which iPhones Make the Cut?

Discover which iPhones will run iOS 19! Get the latest on Apple’s upcoming update, device compatibility, and exciting new features. Breaking: iOS 19 Device List...

OPPO’s Lumo Imaging Tech to Debut with Find X8 Series and Ultra

OPPO is gearing up to launch the Find X8 series in China on April 10, featuring the Find X8 Ultra, Find X8s, and Find...

AMD Dominates AI Benchmarks: Instinct GPUs Shatter Records in MLPerf Tests

The AI acceleration race has shifted into high gear, and AMD has just made a spectacular power move. While other chip manufacturers talk about...

Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025 Unveils Star-Studded Lineup and Epic Nominees

The ultimate celebration of anime excellence is officially underway! Crunchyroll has just dropped the highly anticipated nominee list for the ninth annual Anime Awards,...

Featured