AIFF Turmoil: State Associations to Meet following Praful Patel’s resignation – As Indian football enters a new phase, a lot of things are happening simultaneously at the top governing body of football in India, i.e the AIFF. With the Praful Patel stepping down as the President of the All India Football Federation, the different state associations met together to discuss the future of Indian football. Follow Indian Football Live Updates on InsideSport.IN
All the 25 state associations of the AIFF met on Saturday (21st May) to discuss the working procedure following Praful Patel’s resignation. As AIFF’s constitution is yet to be drafted and completed, therefore to facilitate the process a 7-membered body has been formed to scrutinize this process.
AIFF Turmoil: State Associations to Meet to ‘DISCUSS Working Procedure’ with threat of FIFA BAN looming large – Check Out
Amidst all the controversy involving AIFF, Praful Patel, the different State Associations, and the Supreme Court of India, reports indicate that a panel from FIFA is on its way to visit India to observe the proceedings.
All India Football Federation General Secretary Kushal Das has called a meeting of its state units on Sunday in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s order to remove Praful Patel as president and constitution of a Committee of Administrators (CoA) to run its day-to-day affairs.
🚨 | 25 state association members of AIFF met on Saturday to discuss further plans after Praful Patel’s resignation. A 7-member committee has been formed to scrutinize draft constitution. [@jaydeepbasu] #IndianFootball
— 90ndstoppage (@90ndstoppage) May 21, 2022
Das has called an informal virtual meeting of presidents and secretaries of member state associations at 3pm on Sunday “to give an update on the recent order of the Honourable Supreme Court”. “Mr. Praful Patel will also be in attendance,” he said in the invite sent on AIFF letterhead.
One of the members of the Committee of Administrators, S Y Quraishi had told PTI that Das can continue in his job. Das is a paid official and not an elected member of the erstwhile executive committee led by Patel, who is also currently the president of Western India Football Association.
AIFF Turmoil: State Associations to Meet to ‘DISCUSS Working Procedure’ with threat of FIFA BAN looming large – Check Out
A state unit official, however, doubted Das’ authority to call such a meeting without consulting the Supreme Court-appointed CoA.
“There is no president and executive committee of AIFF now. Das is under CoA and his reporting authority is CoA. How can he call such a meeting without keeping CoA in the loop?” asked the official.
AIFF will hold a meeting with State Associations to update about the SC order on Sunday.
Praful Patel will be in attendence as well. #IndianFootball— Sandeep Menon (@SandynoneM) May 21, 2022
“I think Das has not even sent a copy of the meeting invite to the CoA.” Patel’s reign at the helm of AIFF affairs came to an unceremonious end after the SC on Wednesday constituted a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) to run the day-to-day affairs of the national federation.
The SC named a panel headed by Justice (retd) AR Dave, with Quraishi, a former Chief Election Commissioner, and Bhaskar Ganguly, former captain of the Indian football team, as members.
Patel’s third term in office ended in December 2020 but he clung to a SC case, which remained pending since 2017, to extend his executive committee’s term while refusing to hold elections till the issue of a new constitution was settled by the top court.
AIFF Turmoil: State Associations to Meet to ‘DISCUSS Working Procedure’ with threat of FIFA BAN looming large – Check Out
Meanwhile, Kerala Football Association (KFA) on Saturday joined Football Delhi in urging world governing body FIFA not to ban India in the aftermath of the SC order.
“…in view of the same (SC order to appoint a CoA), we feel that the FIFA may take disciplinary measures against India,” KFA president Tom Jose wrote in a letter to FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura.
“We request your good self to kindly take utmost care in handling this situation in Indian football and take appropriate decision which deemed fit for the growth of Indian football.” On Friday, Football Delhi president Shaji Prabahakaran had written to FIFA not to take “any adverse measure” on India and asked the world body to review the circumstances in their entirety before reaching any decision.
“The Supreme Court was left with no other option. It is a special case and it was unavoidable as it (continuation of AIFF EC under Patel) was against the spirit of good governance practices,” Prabhakaran wrote in the latter to Samoura.
“…any decision to move FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup (to be hosted by India in October) out of the country will have serious consequences on the future of football in India.
“…request you to send a high power delegation to India to meet all stakeholders, member associations, Committee of Administrators and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to have a dialogue and arrive at a decision which lead to the best interest of Indian football.” PTI PDS PDS ATK ATK
AIFF Turmoil: State Associations to Meet to ‘DISCUSS Working Procedure’ with threat of FIFA BAN looming large – Check Out
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