Co-operating with AIFF only solution, FIFA tells I-League clubs

Co-operating with AIFF only solution, FIFA tells I-League clubs

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FIFA has asked the I-League clubs to co-operate with the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) stating that their issues are complex and can only be solved through “prudent and measured approach”. AIFF general secretary Kushal Das has welcomed FIFA’s decision explaining why that’s only solution.

I-League clubs have exhausted all their resources in their attempt to stop the AIFF from going down in the second tier with the last resort being the FIFA. However, after the world football body enquired the AIFF about it, they have also come to the solution that the short term is the only solution to pave way for the long run.

The football body has backed president Praful Patel’s roadmap for Indian football in a letter written to the agitated I-League clubs. Fifa has written a letter to Minerva Punjab FC and other I-League clubs, who had written to the FIFA questioning AIFF’s move to award the top league status to the privately-run Indian Super League.

“The review performed in 2018 did indeed identify a number of complex issues which require a prudent and measured approach, encompassing the positions of all relevant stakeholders, in order to be appropriately addressed,” FIFA’s letter to Minerva Punjab co-owner Ranjit Bajaj read, reported Scroll.

“It was clear that there are numerous aspects of the recommendations that still require further consideration prior to them being implemented. We understand that based on this, the AIFF President has met the clubs and suggested a short-term solution until a more sustainable long-term solution can be found following continued consultation with all stakeholders,” said Mattias Grafstrom, Fifa’s acting deputy secretary general said.

While the I-League clubs wanted the AIFF to include them into the Indian Super League step-by-step, with the first step starting with the 2019-20 season. Fifa has been of the opinion the future should be best left in the hand of AIFF.

“We therefore strongly believe that the AIFF is best placed to do this and we are confident that a thorough and effective process can be managed by the AIFF in its role as the governing body for football in India. Fifa, together with the AFC, remains available to assist and support the AIFF with this process and it will be important that all clubs work closely with the AIFF as the cooperation of all stakeholders will be fundamental to ensuring that the best way forward for top-level football in India is found,” the letter further read.

Kushal has welcomed Fifa’s take on the solution stating that their solution was always the most feasible option and they couldn’t suddenly expand the ISL to 16 teams.

“What Fifa is saying that has always been our take. The AIFF is best-placed to find the solution for Indian football. Outsiders can only advice but implementation depends on only practicality,” Das said.

“Clubs can only come through meritocracy and and they have to provide financial guarantees that the league doesn’t suffer in the event of a club shutting down. They ought to fulfill all the criteria. We can’t just support a 16-team expansion,” he added.

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