New Delhi: The All India Football Federation has been suspended by FIFA, the international football’s governing body, from August 14, 2022, until further notice. The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has expressed its surprise and regret at the current turn of events.
The CoA is startled by the timeline of the FIFA decision given the deep discussions that have been taking place between all parties—including FIFA-AFC, AIFF, CoA, and the Sports Ministry in accordance with the Supreme Court’s order—over the past few days. The CoA was committed to carrying out the Honorable Supreme Court’s Order regarding to the elections of the AIFF, which was issued on August 3, 2022, but it was also in frequent discussion with all stakeholders.
It was recommended during recent conversations between the FIFA-AFC, AIFF, CoA, and the Sports Ministry that the current elections for the AIFF Executive Committee may be held with an Electoral College composed of 36 elected delegates.
FIFA also indicated that the EC may include 23 members, including six illustrious athletes, through the Sports Ministry. The aforementioned electoral college will choose the 17 members (including the President, a Secretary General, a Treasurer, one Vice President, and one Joint Secretary). Four of the six distinguished players will be males and two will be women. The EC may designate (co-opt) renowned players, who will have voting rights, thus making it above 25 percent of the EC.
The CoA strongly believes that the aforementioned points are in line with the letter that FIFA-AFC sent to the acting general secretary of the AIFF on July 25, 2022.The letter said: “As per the draft Statutes shared with us, there will be an additional 36 Eminent Players in the AIFF Congress from the existing 36 Member Association. Although we agree that the players’ voice needs to be heard, we are also of the view that the importance of the existing members of AIFF should not be undermined. However, we understand the requirements of the Sports Code of India and recommended AIFF to bring in a presence of above 25 percent of the Eminent Players in the AIFF Executive Committee as Co-opted Members.”
In accordance with the Hon. Supreme Court’s Order, the CoA also made all necessary arrangements for an independent committee made up of eminent and well-known election officials to oversee the AIFF elections. Additionally, this is aligned with the FIFA letter from August 15, 2022, which reads “Concurrently, an independent electoral committee to be elected by the AIFF general assembly to run the elections of a new executive committee.”
Supreme Court agrees to hear tomorrow an issue related to FIFA suspending the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect.
The decision of FIFA has stripped the country of the right to host the Under-17 Women's World Cup, scheduled for October. pic.twitter.com/DEUsV9GKXR
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2022
Given the preceding, the CoA is taken aback by the international body’s choice to suspend Indian Football while negotiations are ongoing among all parties to determine the appropriate course of action. Even though Indian football was stopped as of August 14, 2022, according to a letter from FIFA dated August 15, 2022, negotiations between FIFA and the Indian parties continued well into the next day, on August 15, 2022.
CoA chairman Justice (retd.) Anil Dave said, “It is unfortunate to see such a directive by FIFA during a time when all efforts were being made to put Indian Football back on the right track. That being said, we are constantly in talks with all the stakeholders, including FIFA, to find the correct solution to this situation, and get the ball rolling once again.
“It is really deplorable that for almost last two years, the body, whose term had already been completed, had continued in an absolutely undemocratic and illegal manner, no action was taken. But when the Hon’ble Supreme Court passed an order to set things right so as to see that a democratically elected body takes charge, and when the CoA and the Sports Ministry were doing their best for the implementation of the Order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the order of the suspension was passed by FIFA.”
CoA member Dr. SY Qureshi stated, “The recent suspension of the FIFA comes as a surprise to us all, especially since we had already found mutually accepted terms. Besides, democratic elections to elect a General Body were already on the way. However, we are hopeful that all problems will be solved to restore normalcy at the earliest.” Former India captain and the third member of the CoA, Bhaskar Ganguly said, “When a sincere effort was being made by the CoA to give due importance to the players, who are really interested in the sport, as per the spirit of the National Sports Code of India, the order of suspension has been slapped. All efforts were made by the CoA to see that the Constitution of AIFF is being framed as per the Order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the National Sports Code. It is really sad.”
