FIFA-AFC to dispatch four-member committee to India to look into potential rule violations

A FIFA and AFC joint four-member committee is about to go to India on June 11 to debate the matter of the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) being run by a Supreme Court of India-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA). This was confirmed by CoA member Dr. S Y Quraishi who mentioned that the CoA could be assembly on June 8, forward of the FIFA go to, on the AIFF Football House to debate the drafting of the structure.

“We were planning on working closely with FIFA and AFC because we need their help and support. We would like to dispel any misconceptions that they may have or some people may have deliberately created in their minds. But before we could send them an invitation, we got information that they themselves are coming on June 11,” mentioned Quraishi to reporters at a media briefing.

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The FIFA and AFC committee’s go to is essential as info gleaned from this era will then be used to resolve whether or not third-party interference has taken place within the working of a FIFA member affiliation by the state. In the previous, each the Kuwait and Indonesia Football Associations had been handed worldwide bans by the FIFA Council due to interference.

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If the FIFA Council discovered the formation of the CoA and their administration of the AIFF as interference, the ban might imply India would lose the internet hosting rights to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, to be held in October, amongst a bunch of different potential actions.

Quraishi additionally allotted a timeline of 4 to 5 months, to all the strategy of drafting and ratifying the All-India Football Federation structure in addition to holding elections, to elect a brand new government committee. He acknowledged that the election course of would take an additional 6-8 weeks.

“Now that the SC has asked the draft constitution to be made public, we are also looking for suggestions and feedback on the same. Taking these into consideration, we expect to submit a modified version of the Constitution by July 15.”

“We will then immediately start the process of elections and finish it as soon as possible. After that our work will be over. We don’t want to stay longer,” mentioned Quraishi.

He additionally spoke about Praful Patel’s initiative to talk to FIFA on behalf of the AIFF in a constructive method. “Mr Patel has written to the FIFA, explaining to them the perspective, to dispel any apprehensions. After that, if they have any doubts, those should disappear. Any remaining doubts should be covered if they met us physically, and that we are a group of well-meaning people. We expect full co-operation from FIFA and we will extend the same to them,” mentioned Qureshi.

State associations to satisfy

While on one hand Quraishi was clear that every one stakeholders might be consulted earlier than the ultimate structure might be offered to be ratified by the Supreme Court, there are some points that would crop up with some sections of the draft.

Issues like the dimensions of the chief committee, twin membership in addition to the illustration of stakeholders within the new structure are all set to be mentioned by state members after which introduced to the CoA as ideas.

“Currently the composition of the executive committee consists of 19-20 members and the members are elected through zonal distribution. That composition has been narrowed down in the draft constitution to 8-9 including players. That is too low and doesn’t reflect the diversity of the country,” mentioned the top of a state affiliation to the Indian Express.

They additionally acknowledged that the structure’s emphasis on particular person members somewhat than members elected from state associations might be a difficulty with FIFA. “The individual has to either represent a club, a district association or a state association.”