New Delhi: A week after world football governing body FIFA imposed a ban on India, the Supreme Court Monday dissolved the Committee of Administrators (CoA) it had appointed to manage the affairs of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), and handed back day-to-day management to the federation.
Expressing hope that the move will “facilitate the revocation of suspension of AIFF and the holding of the Under-17 (Women’s) World Cup”, the apex court also postponed AIFF elections by a week from the earlier fixed date of 28 August, to allow the changed electoral college and filing of nominations in accordance with the new composition of the AIFF’s executive committee.
The electoral college will now comprise only representatives of AIFF member associations of states and Union territories, and not include players.
The bench comprising Justices D. Y. Chandrachud and A. S. Bopanna ordered that the executive committee shall consist of 23 members, including six eminent players. The other 17 members, including the AIFF president, the treasurer and the vice-president, will be elected by the electoral college.
Out of the six eminent players, four will be men and two women. The eminent players will be nominated (co-opted) in the executive committee, making their representation account for around 25 per cent of the committee, as suggested by the FIFA.
The order was passed after the Centre filed an application Sunday, urging that the AIFF’s day-to-day management be looked after by its administration led by the acting secretary general, instead of the CoA. The government had informed the court of its discussions with FIFA, and virtually accepted all the demands made by the apex football body.
The FIFA ban “is disastrous and serious for the entire nation and all football players and football lovers as not only would India lose the hosting rights of such a historical event, but the Indian teams elected by AIFF and its affiliated club teams will no longer be entitled to take part in any international football matches/competitions forthwith till suspension continues”, the Centre had said.
The process of AIFF election is currently at the stage of filing nominations, and is being conducted by returning officer Umesh Sinha and assistant returning officer Tapas Bhattacharya, it added.
The top court Monday said that the duo will remain the returning officers, since no objection was recorded to their continuance by any contesting parties. However, because of the suggested changes in the electoral college, the process of election will have to start all over again, due to which the court has now extended it by a week.
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‘Undue influence from third parties’
In November 2017, the Supreme Court had constituted the CoA to formulate the Constitution of the AIFF, to conduct elections for AIFF and ensure the constitution of its executive committee.
Citing this pending case, controversial former AIFF president Praful Patel, whose third term ended in December 2020, remained in office. Patel extended his term and refused to hold elections till the issue of a new constitution was settled by the top court.
Patel was elected in 2009, won re-elections in 2012 and 2016, and went on to become a FIFA council member. He had completed three terms — the maximum allowed under the National Sports Code — in December 2020.
On 18 May, the CoA was reconstituted, to include former Supreme Court judge A. R. Dave, former chief election commissioner S. Y. Quraishi and former Indian football team captain Bhaskar Ganguly. Through this order, the top court had forced Patel and his executive committee to step down.
In July, the CoA sent its final draft constitution of the AIFF to the FIFA and the Supreme Court. FIFA had then suggested that the AIFF have 25 per cent eminent player representation in its executive committee as co-opted members instead of the 50 per cent (36 members) stipulated in the draft constitution.
However, on 3 August, the Supreme Court approved the electoral college suggested by the CoA, with representatives from 36 state associations and 36 eminent football players. It also accepted the time schedule suggested by the CoA and asserted that the elections “should be held expeditiously”.
The FIFA then suspended the AIFF on 16 August, for “undue influence from third parties”, which, it said, “constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes”.
On Sunday, former Indian football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia moved the Supreme Court, supporting the new Constitution for the AIFF and the 36-member electoral college of eminent players.
Bhutia’s plea asserted that the CoA’s draft constitution “prioritises and promotes the welfare and participation of current and former players — who are the key stakeholders in any sport, in the administration of Indian football — over the vested interests who have been in control of Indian football for several decades”.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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