Deborah Akinyosoye
India could be banned from world football for the second time in three years after FIFA and the Asian governing body demanded it implement a new constitution by October 30 or risk suspension.
World governing body FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) sent a joint letter to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey expressing “profound concern” at the continued failure to finalise and adopt the constitution.
“Failure to meet this schedule will leave us with no alternative but to refer the matter to the relevant FIFA decision-making body for consideration and decision,” said the letter, seen by AFP.
“AIFF must regard this communication as binding and requiring immediate compliance in order to safeguard its rights as a member of FIFA and the AFC,” it added.
The AIFF constitution has been in India’s Supreme Court awaiting a decision since 2017.
A suspension would mean India national teams and clubs being barred from all international competitions.
FIFA previously suspended India in August 2022 for third-party influence after the Supreme Court appointed a committee of administrators to run the AIFF.
The ban was lifted a few days later, paving the way for the AIFF to elect Chaubey.
India’s top-flight club football is currently in disarray.
The Indian Super League (ISL) could fold over a dispute between the AIFF and its commercial partner.
This season’s ISL kickoff has been delayed with thousands of players and staff in danger of losing their jobs.
A rights agreement between the AIFF and the company that runs the ISL, Football Sports Development Limited, ends on December 8 and is yet to be renewed
The AIFF has been unable to come up with a revival plan for the ISL, which is usually played between September and April.
Players union FIFPRO Asia/Oceania raised the issue with FIFA last week.
AFP