AIFF got suspended by FIFA under alleged undue influence from third parties. FIFA bans the AIFF on 16th August, 2022. The incident has jeopardized the country’s bid to host the 2022 the U-17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to be held from October 11-30.
According to FIFA the suspension was due to serious violation of the governing body’s statutes. AIFF gets suspended by FIFA the first time in its 85-year history. The suspension came after former president Praful Patel stayed in office beyond his term, even when the Supreme Court ruled it invalid. A Committee Of Administrators (COA) was formed and the organization was put under it. There were some differences from the earlier agreed upon roadmap as per FIFA. Principle among them was the decision to include 36 eminent players in the electoral college which makes it 50% of 72 total voters. This was more than the 25% of the electoral college by FIFA.
It has been pointed out by FIFA that AIFF had been ordered by the Supreme Court to hold elections before the AIFF constitution was finalized. Before that there would be an interim mandate of three months before the constitution was finalized. FIFA also observed that the CoA would continue to play a role in this interim period. All of this, they say, is a “flagrant violation” of their rules against third party interference allegedly by political or judicial machinery of the country.
The conditions under which FIFA agreed to lift the ban is to repeal of CoA mandate in full. Which means the Supreme Court appointed body loses control of the whole process from elections to finalizing the constitution. Secondly, AIFF administration to be put back in charge. The affairs are being run by the old administration personnel led by Sunando Dhar,the acting general secretary of the Federation. If FIFA’s conditions are accepted, Dhar and his administrators would take back full control of the functioning of the AIFF. This will be until fresh elections are held.
The constitution has to be revised under the requirements of FIFA and AFC while still being in line with the National Sports Code. They also stated that this needs to be approved by the AIFF General Assembly only, which is the assembly of state bodies. FIFA wants the elections for the AIFF to be run by a committee that is elected by only the AIFF general assembly. Elections have to be conducted under pre-existing framework. Which means no votes for ’eminent players’ as decided by the CoA. The voting structure would go back to being from the state associations only.
India was scheduled to host the U17 Women’s World Cup, which has been revoked by FIFA. Now FIFA say they will continue to assess the next steps. All the national teams and clubs are banned from international competition. No team can take part in any tournament till the suspension is lifted. This includes the 2023 Asian Cup and the qualification campaigns for future World and Asian Cups. There will be no FIFA or AFC development programmes, courses or training. This will include FIFA funded any grassroots development programme.
The Supreme Court is due to take the case up again on August 17. Baichung Bhutiya, former Indian football team captain, FIFA’s decision to ban the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was harsh. He also said that it is also a great opportunity for the country to get things in order and rectify the drawbacks in the system.