INDIA faces the threat of a second world football ban within three years after FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation demanded constitutional implementation by October 30.
World governing body FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation sent a joint letter to All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey expressing profound concern over the continued failure to finalise and adopt the constitution.
Failure to meet this schedule will leave us with no alternative but to refer the matter to the relevant FIFA decision-making body for consideration and decision said the letter seen by AFP.
AIFF must regard this communication as binding and requiring immediate compliance in order to safeguard its rights as a member of FIFA and the AFC it added.
The AIFF constitution has been awaiting a decision in India’s Supreme Court since 2017.
A suspension would bar Indian national teams and clubs from all international competitions.
FIFA previously suspended India in August 2022 for third-party influence after the Supreme Court appointed a committee of administrators to run the AIFF.
The ban was lifted a few days later paving the way for the AIFF to elect Chaubey.
India’s top-flight club football is currently in disarray amid multiple challenges.
The Indian Super League could fold over a dispute between the AIFF and its commercial partner.
This season’s ISL kickoff has been delayed with thousands of players and staff facing potential job losses.
A rights agreement between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited ends on December 8 and remains unrenewed.
The AIFF has been unable to develop a revival plan for the ISL which typically runs from September to April.
Players union FIFPRO Asia/Oceania raised the issue with FIFA last week regarding the ongoing crisis. – AFP
