FIFA-AFC puts India on notice; AIFF must adopt constitution by Oct 30 or face suspension

PANAJI: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is in danger of being suspended for the second time in three years if it fails to get its constitution ratified by October 30, according to a letter from FIFA, the governing body for world football, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).FIFA and AFC jointly sent a letter to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey on Tuesday expressing "profound concern” at the continued failure to finalise and implement the revised constitution, “a matter that has remained under consideration since proceedings before the Supreme Court of India in 2017.” Despite repeated assurances, the letter notes, “the absence of a clear and compliant governance framework has now created an untenable vacuum and legal uncertainties at the heart of Indian football.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The letter has been signed by Elkhan Mammadov, FIFA’s chief member associations officer and Vahid Kardany, deputy general secretary, Member Associations, AFC. FIFA and AFC have given AIFF a deadline of October 30 to secure a definitive order from the Supreme Court approving the revised AIFF constitution, ensure full alignment with mandatory provisions of FIFA and AFC Statutes and regulations, and obtain formal ratification of the constitution at the next AIFF general body meeting.“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,” states the letter, reminding AIFF of its obligation to manage its affairs independently and without any undue third-party influence, including government bodies.Failure to adhere to this obligation, FIFA-AFC said, “may result in sanctions outlined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes, including the possibility of suspension.”A member association can face consequences for third-party influence, even if it is not directly at fault (cf. article 14 paragraph 3 of the FIFA Statutes and article 10 paragraph 1 (t) and 2 of the AFC Statutes). A suspension of the AIFF would result in the loss of all of its rights as a FIFA and AFC member, as defined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes.FIFA had suspended India on Aug 16, 2022, for third-party influence because a Supreme Court appointed committee of administrators was running the federation. The ban was lifted ten days later, paving the way for elections where Chaubey was elected as president.Chaubey has now been asked to present the FIFA-AFC letter to the Supreme Court and inform the Union ministry of sports and youth affairs. “AIFF must regard this communication as binding and requiring immediate compliance in order to safeguard its rights as a member of FIFA and AFC,” the letter states.The matter of the AIFF constitution has been in Supreme Court since 2017. The Supreme Court has said that its judgment in the case concerning is “ready” but has deferred pronouncement to ensure that it was “in sync” with the recently enacted National Sports Act.“From our side, the judgment is ready. We just kept it to have a look at what will be the implication of the Act on it,” a Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi observed.The case has been listed for hearing on August 28.