The India national team head coach, Igor Stimac, was reportedly aware that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) had hired an astrology firm to motivate the national side ahead of their recently concluded 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

It was recently reported the football federation had splurged 16 Lakh rupees in order to motivate the India national team ahead of their 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers – though, as per Times of India, ‘it may have been a cover-up for something big altogether,’ serious enough for a forensic audit to be initiated within the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

“A motivator was appointed for the National team ahead of the Asian Cup. Later on, it came to light that the company which was engaged was an astrological firm. Plainly speaking, an astrologer was appointed to motivate the team. Huge payment to the tune of Rs 16 lakh was made,” PTI claimed in a report.

Stimac was told of this arrangement as being for the benefit of the national team, though nothing can be confirmed at this point as the Croatian is currently on vacation in Poland.

AIFF’s acting general secretary, Sunando Dhar, recently confirmed that they are looking to initiate a forensic audit into the matter and other related issues, and it will be interesting to see what comes up from the audit.

Stimac’s side, for their part, lived up to their favorites tag in the Asian Cup qualifiers, beating Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong to remain unbeaten and thereby qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup on successive occasions for the first time in their history.