CoA submits a final draft of the AIFF Constitution to Supreme Court for approval
What you need to know about the Indian football
The current Indian football state is in great turmoil; while the FIFA ban is looming our head, the state association and FSDL has lodged a new petition in the Honorable Supreme Court. FIFA declared 31 July as the deadline to set a new committee and initiate election by Sept 2022. And looking at the current situation, it seems almost impossible to expect anything.
Why should it concern you?
If FIFA bans Indian Football, the national team will be left with no chance to play a single international match, India will be disqualified from playing Asia cup, and none of our players will be able to play for any international club.
What’s the issue, and why are things not turning around?
We all know how AIFF’s ex-president violated the sports code by not imitating a timely presidential election. The matter reached the Supreme Court, and they passed the instruction to set up a new CoA to form the new constitution and streamline the AIFF elections. ‘As AIF, with the new CoA committee, was working on the matter, FSDL, which organizes ISL and some state associations, filed an intervention petition in the apex court. The FSDL and state organization rejected some suggestions to amend some suggestion to amend clauses in the proposed draft constitution.
According to Article 1.50 of the drafted constitution, AIFF proposed the inclusion of relegation and promotion in the league. If we look at the current ISL league model, there is no place for relegation and promotion spots.
The draft indicated that if ISL or any other Indian top division league fails to implement this policy, then AIFF will have full authority to scrap their Asian Champions League spot.
Further, Article 63 of the drafted constitution also stated that AIFF would be the original owner of every commercial, financial, audiovisual and radio recording, reproduction and broadcasting rights, multimedia, marketing, and promotional and incorporeal rights.
“The AIFF shall have the inalienable right, discretion and authority over all decision-making pertaining to creation, management, direction, control, regulation, promotion, development and sponsorship of any League or Competition.
The European leagues get most of the money from the broadcasters, but they don’t own the league. Whereas in India, looking at financial and commercial aspects, the broadcasters bring the money, but at the same time, they own the league. It means they can set calendars according to their convenience, making the national team suffer.
What can you do about it?
The only thing we can do about this is to spread the message. Let your peers know about it, and educate them about this issue. Spread the word to everyone, including those who don’t watch football. It isn’t about any particular club but the whole country.
Maybe if we come together and raise our voices, they will hopefully be heard by the administration. It’s pretty natural that the influencers and the players won’t speak much as they abide by the contracts these market players own.
So, it comes to us to educate as many people as we can.
So, spread the word and pray for better days for Indian Football. Jay Hind, Jay Bharat.
