Football

All India Football Federation suspended by FIFA due to third party influence

The Iconic phrase “Captain, Leader, Legend” may not be heard in the Indian Stadiums anymore. A sudden announcement from FIFA has put the future of Indian Football in jeopardy.

FIFA has suspended the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect due to “undue influence from third parties”. The world soccer’s governing body said on Monday.

This has come at a very bad time for Indian Football. As the suspension has come with immediate effect, it means that the Under-17 women’s World Cup, which was scheduled to take place in India from Oct. 11-30, cannot be held in the country as planned.

 “The Bureau of the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to suspend the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes,” stated an official media release, issued by FIFA.

 “FIFA is in constant constructive contact with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India and is hopeful that a positive outcome to the case may still be achieved,” stated the release.

The suspension means that the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022, scheduled to take place in India on 11-30 October 2022, cannot currently be held in India as planned,” stated the release further.

The Supreme Court of India disbanded the AIFF in May and appointed a three-member committee to govern the sport, amend the AIFF’s constitution, and conduct elections that have been pending for 18 months.

In response, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation sent a team led by AFC general secretary Windsor John to meet Indian football stakeholders and laid down a roadmap for the AIFF to amend its statutes by the end of July and subsequently conclude elections at the latest by Sept. 15.

“The suspension will be lifted once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been repealed and the AIFF administration regains full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs,” FIFA said in Monday’s statement.

Earlier this month, the Indian court ordered elections to be held promptly and said the elected committee would be an interim body for a period of three months.

The elections of the AIFF, formerly led by FIFA Council member Praful Patel, were to be held by December 2020 but were delayed due to an uproar over amendments to its constitution.

According to FIFA statutes, member federations must be free from legal and political interference in their respective countries. FIFA has previously suspended other national associations over similar cases.