Supreme Court dissolves CoA, All India Football Federation administration to take over day-to-day management

The Supreme Court of India on Monday, August 22, dissolved the Committee of Administrators that it had appointed earlier this year to oversee the operations of the All India Football Federation. The top court directed the AIFF’s day-to-day management be taken over by acting general secretary Sunando Dhar.

AIFF administration taking over day-to-day affairs will be a key step towards getting the ban by FIFA, the global governing body of football, revoked. FIFA had imposed the ban on AIFF on August 15 due to “third party interference” and said that the U17 Women’s World Cup “cannot currently be held in India as planned”.

CHANGE IN ELECTORAL COLLEGE

The SC also said the AIFF election, scheduled for August 28, can be deferred by a week to facilitate a change in the electoral college. It had directed that the new AIFF executive committee should be elected on the basis of pre-existing membership of the AIFF, meaning the voters’ list will consist of representatives from state associations and not eminent players who were nominated.

Notably, former India football team captain Baichung Bhutia has supported the inclusion of a 36-member electoral college of eminent players, calling it a change paramount for the development of Indian football in a healthy way. Moving an application on Monday, Bhutia urged the Court to give full effect to SC’s order dated 03.08.2022 directing that the General Body of AIFF comprise the 36-member electoral college of eminent players.

The top court also directed that the AIFF’s new Executive Committee shall consist of 23 members — 17 including the treasurer will be elected by the electoral college of 36, and six members to be drawn from eminent players.

The series of directives from the Supreme Court order is a statement of intent that the top court and the Indian government are keen on getting the FIFA ban revoked and ensuring that the U17 Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in October.

Notably, a day before the crucial hearing, the central government, on Sunday, moved an application in the Supreme Court, seeking an end to the “mandate” of the COA, as demanded by FIFA.

— ENDS —