FIFA has recently asked the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which is embroiled in legal disputes over its new constitution, for an update on the matter. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the global football body wrote a letter on June 22 expressing worry about AIFF’s absence of communication from July 31, 2023. They responded to AIFF’s statement, claiming the subject is sub-judice, with the expectation of hearing back by July 5.
FIFA and the AFC stress that the AIFF general body should have the capacity to change the federation’s statutes without requesting permission from local courts because it is the highest legislative body in the organization. The letter, which was signed by Vahid Kardany of the AFC and Kenny Jean-Marie of FIFA, emphasizes the necessity of AIFF’s independence when changing its charter.
Satyanarayan responded by pointing out that the matter hasn’t been considered by the Supreme Court since March 19, 2024. The Amicus Curiae, Gopal Shankarnarayan, pointed out during the previous session that the existing AIFF leadership is a transitional body till the new constitution is adopted. In its submission to the Supreme Court, AIFF refuted this. A meeting on May 16, 2023, where FIFA, AFC, and AIFF reviewed the new constitution, is also included in the FIFA-AFC communication. This came about as a result of a May 2, 2023, Supreme Court judgment designating retired justice Nageswara Rao to supervise the new constitution’s writing, taking into account input from all relevant parties. According to Rao, the draft statutes have been prepared and submitted to the court by July 31, 2023, with input from FIFA and the AFC. FIFA and AFC have not communicated with one other since.
In its answer, AIFF outlined the current legal proceedings. On September 11, after Rao’s submission, the Supreme Court gave interested parties a chance to submit objections to the draft constitution. The duty of gathering these objections into a tabular manner fell to the Court-appointed Amicus Curiae.AIFF stated that after a court ruling on March 19, its objections were added after first being left out.
FIFA threatened to suspend AIFF on August 14, 2022, citing meddling from third parties following the Supreme Court’s appointment of an administrators’ committee. According to the suspension letter, the AIFF general body must ratify the constitution and ensure that it is in line with FIFA and AFC rules without any intervention from other parties. On August 26, 2022, the ban was lifted. Kalyan Chaubey was elected president following elections that took place in September of that same year. In spite of this, the federation has not yet ratified the constitution.
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