After FSDL, now state associations move Supreme Court against AIFF

New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) After the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) for All India Football Federations (AIFF) rejected their suggestions to amend some clauses in the proposed draft constitution, some state associations have filed an intervention petition in the Apex Court.

Sources close to the development said that the AIFF's 35 state associations have raised over 20 objections to the draft, but did not get a positive response from the CoA.

Sources said that during the meeting with CoA on July 6, the seven-member committee, representing state associations of the AIFF raised various aspects and gave suggestions on the draft constitution. In the two-hour meeting, the SA representatives put forward several ideas for consideration by the CoA.

Now they have lodged an intervention application with the Apex Court. The case will come up for hearing on Thursday.

Earlier, the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which manages the Indian Super League (ISL), 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 state associations are not happy with the way the SC-appointed CoA has drafted the constitution and included some clauses.

"Several concerns and objections raised by the Applicants have still not been addressed in the final proposed AIFF constitution. Given that the Applicants are constituent members of the AIFF, the proposed constitution has a direct bearing on them. Thus the present intervention application has been moved, so that the Applicants have an opportunity of being heard by this Hon'ble Court, before a final decision is taken on the proposed Constitution," the application of the state FAs read.

If 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.

With the FSDL and state units raising objections against more than 20 points, there is a big possibility of the country getting banned by FIFA.

Sources 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.