The AIFF’s executive committee will meet next week to discuss how the roadmap of Indian football, which was agreed upon in 2019, is to be implemented in full after the I-League Clubs Association sent a letter to the federation, raising concerns on a few key issues, PTI reports.
Under the Indian football roadmap agreed upon by the stakeholders in 2019, for which the Asian Football Confederation was actively involved, the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL) was to have relegation from the upcoming 2024-25 season onwards. That nothing is known in the public domain on the matter, even as the ISL 24-25 season is set to kick off on September 14, comes as no surprise.
The other part of the roadmap has been fulfilled as I-League champion of 2022-23 season — Punjab FC — were promoted to the ISL for the 2023-24 season and Mohammedan Sporting, the 2023-24 I-League champions, has also been promoted to the ISL for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
In a letter to the AIFF chief and executive committee members, I-League Clubs Association president Ranjit Bajaj has threatened legal action if the AIFF does not follow the Indian football roadmap, PTI reports.
“Reneging on the written commitments made to the I-League clubs to follow the Indian Football Roadmap presented by the AFC would constitute a serious breach of trust,” Bajaj wrote in the letter accessed by the newswire.
“Moreover, any deviation from the declarations made before the Supreme Court of India by AIFF and FSDL would amount to contempt of court. The counsel for AIFF, alongside FSDL’s counsel, has clearly submitted that the top league of the country will adhere to the principles of promotion and relegation.
“Failing to honor these promises will compel us to approach the Supreme Court with a contempt petition against AIFF and FSDL.”
When contacted by the newswire, AIFF’s acting general secretary M Satyanarayan said the executive committee will discuss the matter in a meeting to be held in the next 7-10 days.
“It’s a sub judice matter but the AIFF Exco will meet in the next 7-10 days to discuss how to best find a resolution to the issue,” he told PTI.
“The promotion of I-League winner to ISL has been fulfilled. The relegation part is interlinked to the ISL having 14 teams and this season (2024-25) will have 13 teams only. There is some confusion. But, we will discuss the matter in the executive committee meeting.”
AIFF-FSDL Master Rights Agreement coming to end
He also hinted that the issue is a little bit complex as the 15-year Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between the AIFF and Reliance-controlled Football Sports Development Ltd (FSDL) — the ISL organisers — ends next year.
“We don’t know what will happen to the MRA also, whether they (FSDL) are going to continue or new people are going to come. All these things are linked up to what happens to the MRA and what happens in the court.
“So, we have to take account of all these things, But, the I-League clubs are our clubs and we have to take care of them also. We will know what is the stance of the FSDL and then we will take an informed decision.”
In the letter, Bajaj has alleged that Punjab FC and 2023-24 I-League champions Mohammedan Sporting “have paid full franchise fees” to take part in ISL.
“The foundational principle of football, and any sport, is that it provides a level playing field for all, based purely on sporting merit. Financial considerations cannot supersede sporting merit at the top level.
“A closed league that does not follow the principles of promotion and relegation and demands exorbitant franchise fees from clubs cannot be considered the top league of the country,” he wrote.
“It is well-known that new entrants to the Indian Super League, such as Punjab FC and Mohammedan Sporting SC, have paid full franchise fees despite being ‘promoted’ after winning the I-League. This does not constitute true promotion.”
Under the roadmap of 2019, the winner of I-League was to be promoted to the ISL with no participation fee, basis fulfilling sporting merit and the national club licensing criteria to be set out by the AIFF.
A Punjab FC source said it was not made mandatory to pay the franchise fee but his club paid it to be able to have a share of the revenue generated by the ISL in the future.
“Our club was promoted on sporting merit, and it was not mandatory for us to pay franchise fee. But we were given an option (by the FSDL) to pay the franchise fee if we want to have a share of the revenue generated by the ISL. We took the option and paid the franchise fee.
“If we did not pay the franchise fee, we would still have played in the ISL but would not have been eligible to have a share of the central pool of revenue.”
