Indian court returns control to AIFF in bid to keep U-17 World Cup, despite reports of 'siphoned' money
August 22 - Bowing to FIFA's demands, India's Supreme Court on Monday dissolved the three-member Committee of Trustees (CoA), returning day-to-day management to the Indian Football Federation (AIFF), a move that could allow India's suspension from global play will be lifted.
Fifa last week banned India from football for deviating from the FIFA-AFC roadmap to amend the AIFF constitution and hold new presidential elections following of Praful Patel's removal from the federation by the Supreme Court, but the suspension of 'third-party interference' left Indian officials, especially the government, embarrassed as the country was deprived of the U-17 Women's World Cup.
But on Monday, the country's highest court moved quickly to meet FIFA's demands and pave the way for India's return to the global football fraternity.
A voice of reason in a confusing few months for Indian football, the Supreme Court struck down the CoA and returned management of the AIFF to Acting General Secretary Sunando Dhar.
The court also moved the election forward by a week. Only representatives of state associations and union territories will be permitted to vote in the Electoral College.
While the Supreme Court has returned control of Indian football to the AIFF, a cloud of financial irregularities still hangs over the national federation.
The CoA's legal counsel, Gopal Shankarnarayan, said that an "AIFF interim audit report has been submitted by Deloitte to the CoA...There are siphoning findings." The court said the government would review the final report.
The Supreme Court's intervention - at the speed of light by Indian standards - could prompt FIFA to lift the suspension and reverse its decision to scrap the U-17 Women's World Cup. The tournament was scheduled for October and would have been the second FIFA final in the country after the U-17 World Cup in 2017.
The suspension forced Gokulam Kerala to withdraw from the AFC Women's Championship and the national team's matches with Singapore and Vietnam were canceled due to the uncertainty.
Contact the author of this story at moc.l1661217462labto1661217462ofdlr1661217462owedi1661217462sni@i1661217462tnuk.1661217462ardni1661217462mas1661217462
August 22 - Bowing to FIFA's demands, India's Supreme Court on Monday dissolved the three-member Committee of Trustees (CoA), returning day-to-day management to the Indian Football Federation (AIFF), a move that could allow India's suspension from global play will be lifted.
Fifa last week banned India from football for deviating from the FIFA-AFC roadmap to amend the AIFF constitution and hold new presidential elections following of Praful Patel's removal from the federation by the Supreme Court, but the suspension of 'third-party interference' left Indian officials, especially the government, embarrassed as the country was deprived of the U-17 Women's World Cup.
But on Monday, the country's highest court moved quickly to meet FIFA's demands and pave the way for India's return to the global football fraternity.
A voice of reason in a confusing few months for Indian football, the Supreme Court struck down the CoA and returned management of the AIFF to Acting General Secretary Sunando Dhar.
The court also moved the election forward by a week. Only representatives of state associations and union territories will be permitted to vote in the Electoral College.
While the Supreme Court has returned control of Indian football to the AIFF, a cloud of financial irregularities still hangs over the national federation.
The CoA's legal counsel, Gopal Shankarnarayan, said that an "AIFF interim audit report has been submitted by Deloitte to the CoA...There are siphoning findings." The court said the government would review the final report.
The Supreme Court's intervention - at the speed of light by Indian standards - could prompt FIFA to lift the suspension and reverse its decision to scrap the U-17 Women's World Cup. The tournament was scheduled for October and would have been the second FIFA final in the country after the U-17 World Cup in 2017.
The suspension forced Gokulam Kerala to withdraw from the AFC Women's Championship and the national team's matches with Singapore and Vietnam were canceled due to the uncertainty.
Contact the author of this story at moc.l1661217462labto1661217462ofdlr1661217462owedi1661217462sni@i1661217462tnuk.1661217462ardni1661217462mas1661217462
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