NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court, while hearing a government plea to settle issues that led to FIFA suspending the All India Football Federation and rescinding hosting rights for the upcoming Under-17 Women’s World Cup in October, directed the Centre to take a proactive role in lifting the suspension.
The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for August 22.
Top government law officer Tushar Mehta informed the Bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud that the Indian government had already had two meetings with FIFA management, and some breaking of the ice has taken place.
“Discussions are underway, and all stakeholders are on-board… It may not be wise to disclose the details of the breakthroughs being made,” Mehta said.
On its part, the Bench observed that India should have the benefit of hosting the FIFA event, as it will help the Under-17 players.
Pertinently, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators has been “locked out” of the ongoing confabulations between FIFA, the Union government and Indian football’s stakeholders (read as AIFF acting secretary Sunando Dhar).
On August 3, the apex court had passed directions for conducting elections for the AIFF executive committee ahead of the hosting of the U-17 Women’s World Cup by India.
After this order, the CoA moved a petition seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against former AIFF president Praful Patel and representatives of 7 state associations, accusing them of indirectly stalling the court ordered elections to the AIFF.
In a nutshell, the CoA’s decision to engage in legal manoeuvring instead of focusing its attention on ensuring that the AIFF’s elections were conducted as per the deadlines set by FIFA is what has led Indian football to this sorry pass.
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