PANJIM: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) condoled the demise of former India goalkeeper Kuppuswami Sampath, who passed away in Bengaluru on Monday.. He was 76 and is survived by his wife and daughter.
Sampath, who represented Goa in the National Santosh Trophy from 1974 to 1978 donned colours for Dempo SC from 1973 to 1978. It was in 1974 and 1978 that he was part of Dempo team which won the Rovers Cup in Mumbai.
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Sampath will be remembered for his exemplary performance in the 1970 Bangkok Asian Games when India won the bronze medal. The former India custodian had represented the country in 18 matches, which included the 1970 and 1972 Merdeka Cup, the 1970 Asian Games, and the 1971 Pesta Sukan Cup.
Sampath’s international career was one strewn with accolades. He was also a part of the India team that ended third in the 1970 Merdeka Cup and joint champions of the 1971 Pesta Sukan Cup in Singapore. He was one of the best goalkeepers of the 1970s and will be remembered for years to come. “As an upcoming goalkeeper in my younger days, I had heard of his heroics in the 1970 Asian Games, and was hugely inspired by it,” said AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey.
AIFF Secretary General Shaji Prabhakaran, Executive Committee member Valanka Alemao also condoled Sampath’s death.
In the 1970 Asian Games, the two coaches, GMH Basha and PK Banerjee, had so much faith in him that Sampath was one of the few players in the squad, who figured in all the six matches India played in a span of 11 days. His teammates still recall how Sampath flew like a bird to the far post to save a powerful shot from famed Japan striker Kunishige Kamamoto during the closing stages of the Bronze medal match. India eventually won the match by a solitary goal. Sampath had also represented Services (1970-73) in the Santosh Trophy.
