AIFF in financial turmoil; await clearance of pending dues by commercial partners

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) are currently in the middle of an acute financial crisis due to “non-payment of dues” amounting to Rs 25 crore by its commercial partner IMG-Reliance. As per the agreement signed in 2010 between the Indian FA and IMG-Reliance, the AIFF is entitled to get an annual payment of Rs 50 crore from the Reliance-owned company.

“The federation has not been able to pay I-League clubs to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore prize money. The outstanding amount is Rs four crore in total, including travelling costs and subsidies. Quarterly dues have not been paid since January. The clubs are writing mails. Minerva Punjab FC is writing everyday,” an AIFF inside source told PTI.

The AIFF is yet to give away a cash award of Rs one crore to I-League winners Chennai City, in addition to the pending dues towards the referees and clear travelling costs.

Three months since Chennai City were crowned champions of the I-League, a concerned Chennai City CEO Rohit Ramesh hoped that they would get the prize money.

“We hope that we will get the prize money. We are supposed to get what we deserve. I reached out to them (AIFF) officially regarding prize money by mail, but did not get any response.

“We are supposed to get Rs one crore as winners. We got the big cheque on the day the championship was decided but not money,” Ramesh told PTI.