AIFF issue: Govt seeks dissolution of CoA; voting list without eminent players

New Delhi, Aug 21 With the international football federation (FIFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) slapping a ban on the All India Football Federation (AIFF) because of 'third-party interference', the Government of India has filed an application on August 21, 2022 in the Supreme Court seeking "direction and variation" of the orders dated May 18 and August 3, 2022 so that the suspension could be lifted at the earliest.

The FIFA-AFC suspension imposed on the AIFF has meant that India has lost the hosting rights of the prestigious U-17 FIFA Women's World Cup, which was scheduled to kick off in October and has also been barred from participating in FIFA-AFC tournaments.

In its plea, the government has stated that, "In view of the aforesaid development and, in the interest of the game of football in the country in general... and with a view to ensure that FIFA revokes the suspension and the adverse consequences flowing thereof, the applicant is filing this application seeking indulgence of this Hon'ble Court."

In its submission, the government has pleaded that the administration and management of AIFF should be conducted by a duly elected body and not by a third party (Committee of Administrators). and hence the CoA should be dissolved.

"The voters list should consist of representatives of State/UT member associations of AIFF only and should not include the players," the government has pleaded.

It has also pleaded for an independent electoral committee to be elected by the AIFF general assembly to conduct the elections of a new executive committee and requested for the constitution to be revised in accordance with the requirements of FIFA-AFC.

"The same should be approved by the AIFF general assembly without interference from a third party (CoA)," the plea states.

The government also pleaded that, "the election should take place at the earliest and an elected body should resume to administer the functioning of AIFF".

"It is proposed that the EC may consist of 23 members, including six eminent players. The 17 members (inclusive of the President, a Treasurer, and one Vice-President) will be elected by the above electoral college. Out of the six eminent payers, four will be men and two will be women. The eminent players may be nominated (co-opted) in the EC and shall have the voting rights in the Executive Committee, thus making their representation to be around 25 per cent of the EC.

The nomination/co-option of the players in the executive council (06 in numbers), the same may be co-opted in the following manner: "Out of the six eminent players, there will be four men and two women. The eminent players may be nominated (co-opted) in the EC in the following objective manner."

"Eminent player shall mean a past football player, male or female who has been retired for at least two years, and has represented India at the senior level in at least one competitive match sanctioned by FIFA-AFC (International matches). The date of retirement is to be reckoned from the date of the last game played."

The Ministry finally prayed that the day-to-day management of AIFF shall be looked after by the AIFF administration led by the acting secretary-general to the exclusion of the earlier elected body and the CoA will have no role in the administration of AIFF from August 22.

"Be pleased to require the CoA to submit the final draft constitution to this Hon'ble Court by the end of August 23, and that the mandate of the CoA be declared to be over in full from August 23.

"Be pleased to modify the election programme to direct for election from the stage stipulated on 13.08.2022 based upon the voters list containing representatives of member associations only which already published excluding the 36 players and be pleased to direct the Returning Officers to complete all stages of election up to the counting of votes and declaration of results with such changed dates as this Hon'ble Court may be pleased to specify," the government has pleaded.

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