The dsicisplinary committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Wednesday had dismissed Delhi FC's petition to suspend relegation of the 2024/25 I-League season to I-League 2 — the third division of Indian Football. As a result, the committee has ruled that the club is relegated to I-League 2.
In that season, Delhi finished rock bottom of the table, with only 14 points from 22 points. SC Bengaluru, who finished seven points above Delhi, were also relegated after a Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) ruling on October 28.
On Wednesday, the disciplinary committee cited lack of sporting merit (14 pts in 22 games), and cited the club's agreement to relegation in the Participation Team Agreeement (PTA) it signed before the 2024/25 season,
"The prayer made by the Delhi FC is in contradiction of the I-League Regulations and the Participation Team Agreement. Undisputedly, the Delhi FC having finished at the last position of the season 2024-25 has rightly been, as per the Regulations, relegated to the I-League-2," said the order signed by Retired judge Justice Vineet Saran.
Days after the I-league season concluded in April last year, Delhi FC had filed a petition to the AIFF Disciplinary Committee to suspend relegation, which was dimissed. Then, the club approached the appeals committee in May. There, the committee had directed the disciplinary committee to hear the matter afresh.