CHENNAI: The musical chairs game for admission into the upcoming I-League season continued on Thursday with Churchill Brothers finding their way back after a three-year absence.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) in an emergency committee meeting decreed that Churchill be reinstated, taking into account their ‘the track record and history’. The meeting itself was called after the Delhi High Court directed the AIFF last week to consider Churchill’s plea to re-enter the league. “In compliance with the specific direction of the Hon’ble High Court and also Churchill Brothers Sports Club’s commitment to fulfilling the licensing criteria as stipulated in the order dated November 28, 2016, the Committee unanimously decided to allow them to participate in the season 2016-17,” the AIFF said in a statement.
The decision comes a day after Dempo FC joined fellow Goan clubs Sporting Clube and Salgaocar in pulling out of the I-League, citing disillusionment with the proposed restructuring of Indian football. Churchill’s re-induction brings the number of teams in the league, which had dropped down to seven following Dempo’s withdrawal, back to eight.
Churchill is one of the most successful clubs of the I-League era, winning the country’s top-tier event twice, first in 2008-09 and then a year before their banishment in 2012-13. They also won the Federation Cup in 2014, a few months before they were thrown out of the I-League along with Mohammedan Sporting, Rangdajied United and United SC, for failing club licensing criteria.
I-League CEO Sunando Dhar told Express that the decision to reinstate Churchill had nothing to do with the pull-outs of the three Goan clubs. “That was not a factor,” he said. “The emergency committee was called on the instructions of the court, who had asked us to consider Churchill’ history and track record. We took that into account and with Churchill agreeing to meet licensing criteria, we decided to reinstate them. It was not that we wanted a Goan club to come in to compensate for Sporting, Dempo and Salgaocar. If that was the case, we could have just gone for FC Bardez, who have submitted a bid for corporate entry.”
Chennai fate on December 11
Dhar also confirmed that all five clubs who were interested in getting into the I-League had submitted bids. The bids of all five — Chennai City FC included will be opened on December 11.