Adopt constitution by Oct 30 or face action: FIFA-AFC tell AIFF

calcutta: The All bharat football game Federation (AIFF) could be suspended if it fails to acquire its make-up ratified by October 30, according to a letter from FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) sent on Tuesday. Suspension would mean India’s national teams and clubs being scratched from international competitions.

Addressed to federation president Kalyan Chaubey, the letter says AIFF is required to “secure a definitive order” from the Supreme Court approving the revised constitution, ensure that it is aligned with FIFA and AFC statutes and get it approved by the federation’s general body by the deadline. Chaubey was not available for comment.

“Failure to adhere to this obligation may result in sanctions outlined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes, including the possibility of suspension,” says the letter signed by Elkhan Mammadov, chief member associations FIFA, and Vahid Kardany, Deputy General Secretary – Member Associations, AFC. HT has seen the letter.

“Furthermore, a member association may face consequences for third-party influence, even if it is not directly at fault…. A suspension of the AIFF would result in the loss of all of its rights as a FIFA and AFC member, as defined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes,” the letter says.

AIFF must present this letter to the Supreme Court and inform the Union ministry of sports and youth affairs, the letter states. “AIFF must regard this communication as binding and requiring immediate compliance in order to safeguard its rights as a member of FIFA and AFC,” the two-page letter has said.

The letter “reminds” AIFF of its obligation to manage its affairs independently “without any undue third-party influence, including government bodies…” This is part of FIFA and AFC statutes the letter has said.

FIFA suspended India on August 16, 2022 for third-party influence because a Supreme Court appointed committee of administrators was running AIFF. The ban was lifted on August 26, 2022 after the mandate of the committee of administrators was terminated. AIFF then held elections and on September 2, 2022, Chaubey was elected president.

The matter of the AIFF constitution has been in Supreme Court since 2017. The judgment is ready, the court said last Friday, but relevant portions of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, will need to be discussed to know possible implications of the directions to be passed. The FIFA-AFC letter also says the AIFF constitution must be in line with the act.

FIFA and AFC have in the past inquired about the AIFF constitution. A letter in June 2024 said it had not heard from AIFF on this since July 31, 2023. It had pointed out that AIFF should be able to amend its “statutes” without judicial intervention. AIFF had replied that the matter was in the court.

Tuesday’s letter is the first time FIFA and AFC have set a deadline. The letter says the “prolonged impasse has precipitated a governance and operational crisis.” It mentions the uncertainty over the domestic calendar and that commercial partnerships beyond 2025 “remain unconfirmed”.

“The resulting lack of financial stability has had a profoundly negative impact on India’s football ecosystem, particularly affecting footballers employed by clubs participating in the Indian Super League (ISL), which is organised under the auspices of the AIFF. We have received concerning reports from FIFPRO (the world footballers’ body) of the unilateral termination of players’ employment contracts by various clubs, as a direct consequence of the current impasse, affecting the players’ livelihoods and careers,” the letter has said.

The letter was sent one day after AIFF and its commercial partners met to find a way to conduct the 2025-26 season. They are supposed to present a joint proposal to the Supreme Court on Thursday. The current crisis stems from the commercial agreement ending this December, months before the football season does. AIFF’s partner said in July it was not keen on running Indian Super League, India’s top tier league, till it knew what happens beyond the current agreement.

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