FIFA bans AIFF | India's prospects of hosting the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup improve as AIFF regains control
The Supreme Court's decision to disband the Committee of Administrators (CoA) monitoring the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and give daily operations to the AIFF acting secretary general significantly increased India's prospects of hosting the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in 2022.
This satisfies one of the key objectives of FIFA, the organisation that governs international football, namely the absence of outside intervention in the AIFF's operations. The action moves FIFA one step closer to lifting its suspension of the AIFF.
India would be back on course to organize the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup from October 11 to October 30 if and when the suspension is removed. India cannot host the event till the FIFA suspension has taken effect.
“The day-to-day management of AIFF shall be looked after by the AIFF administration led by the acting secretary general exclusively. As a consequence, the CoA will cease to be in charge of the AIFF,” the SC bench, headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, said in court. Sunando Dhar, the AIFF's interim general secretary, will now be in charge of the organisation.
The Supreme Court also ruled that the 36 delegates from the states and Union Territories shall be on the voter list for the AIFF elections, which will now take place in early September rather than on August 28. This complies with another FIFA requirement, which states that no former players may serve in the electoral college. 36 former players and 36 representatives were on the list originally created by the CoA and selected by the court.
The SC also announced that there will be 23 members on the AIFF executive council, 17 of whom will be chosen by state and union territory delegates, and six of whom will be distinguished former players—four men and two women.