IMPHAL: NEROCA FC and TRAU FC, two football clubs based in Manipur, have moved to the Delhi High Court to make a plea to overturn their relegation from the I-League.
They have cited the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur as the reason behind their poor performance.
The clubs, which finished at the bottom of the 2023-24 season points table, argued that the ongoing turmoil has taken a huge toll on the players in terms of their mental strength and performance.
NEROCA FC and TRAU FC were relegated by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) after a disappointing finish to their season campaign, ending in 12th and 13th place respectively.
The unrest in Manipur made it impossible for the local clubs to host matches in their home state, as a result of which, five fixtures had to be relocated to Kalyani, West Bengal while the remaining seven games were moved to Shillong.
Additionally, the clubs urged to move their away fixtures against Aizawl FC to a neutral venue, but this request was denied, leading to the matches getting cancelled.
Earlier, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had spoken in favour of an exemption for the clubs, highlighting the severe disruption caused by the ethnic conflict which began on May 3, 2023.
However, the AIFF did not keep the request as the body governing football in India proceeded with the relegation.
Meanwhile, The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the AIFF and the case will be heard on September 6. Justice Sanjeev Narula's order threw light on the tumultuous situation in Manipur, including loss of life and communal clashes, which had a detrimental impact on the clubs' performance.
Taking a strong stance, the petitioners are of the view that the AIFF should have exercised discretion, as it has done in the past for other clubs under exceptional circumstances.
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