Football

Indian Football Federation staring at FIFA ban after FSDL files case in Supreme Court

The Applicant is constrained to approach this Hon'ble Court as certain exclusive rights and entitlements granted in favour of the Applicant

Sentinel Digital Desk

NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is staring at a possible FIFA ban after Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) which manages the Indian Super League filed a case in the Supreme Court, requesting to amend some clauses in the Draft Constitution submitted by the Committee of Administrators (CoA).

Sources close to the development said that the FSDL is not happy with the way the SC-appointed CoA has drafted the constitution and included the clause of implementing the principles of promotion and relegation in ISL.

This is the reason FSDL has filed a petition in the Supreme Court and is seeking permission to intervene in the matter, said the sources.

In their application to Apex Court, FSDL said, "The Applicant, being an important stakeholder in Indian football, duly submitted to the All India Football Federation ("AIFF"), its comments and objections to the proposed Constitution of AIFF. As elucidated in detail hereinafter, it is the humble submission of the Applicant that the Committee of Administrators ("CoA") has failed to take into consideration and has even rejected certain material suggestions and objections to the Constitution of the AIFF made by the Applicant herein.

"The Applicant is constrained to approach this Hon'ble Court as certain exclusive rights and entitlements granted in favour of the Applicant under a long-term agreement, i.e., the Master Rights Agreement dated 09.12.2010 ("MRA") executed in the year 2010 by the AIFF are being totally disregarded and violated by virtue of certain provisions contained in the proposed Constitution of the AIFF. Further, the said provisions are also against the development and promotion of football in India."

A delegation of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has set the Committee of Administrators (CoA) a deadline of July 31 to amend the statutes of the Constitution and conclude the elections by September 15, 2022.

In case, the case is prolonged and goes on beyond the deadline set by the FIFA-AFC delegation, the sport's world governing body could ban the AIFF, said the source. IANS

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