CHENNAI: Cordial, constructive and positive were some of the words used by those part of the meeting between the seven-member joint FIFA-Asian Football Confederation team and stakeholders of AIFF, including the Committee of Administrators (CoA) and state associations.
The visit was necessitated after the Supreme Court removed Praful Patel as the AIFF chief and dismissed the executive council for violating sports code and appointed a three-member CoA team to take care of day-to-day activities. The delegate is here to understand the ground reality and would meet all stakeholders to find a way forward. There were apprehensions that FIFA would ban AIFF for third-party interference.
The joint FIFA and AFC team is being represented by AFC General Secretary, Datuk Seri Windsor John, AFC Deputy General Secretary of Member Association Division, Vahid Kardany, three members from FIFA Kenny Jean Marie, Nodar Akhalkatsi, and Prince Rufus, FIFA RDO. Purushottam Kattel, and Yogesh Desai are the other members.
It emerged that the meetings were cordial and such a drastic step of suspension would be avoided. According to stakeholders attending the meeting, officials and representatives of state units, the meetings ended on a positive note. Except for a few points, the draft constitution prepared by the CoA more or less had been agreed upon. According to those who attended the meeting, the constitution would be an amalgamation of both the sports code and FIFA statutes. The constitution needs to be submitted to the court by July 15.
One sticky point in the draft constitution that allows anyone with at least two years of experience in state association in the same capacity to contest AIFF election seems more or less agreed upon. The number of representatives in executive council is being worked upon. According to some state unit representatives, they are in agreement with the CoA over the constitution.
Also since state units have been taken into confidence, there are not too many issues that would act as an impediment to amending the constitution and holding elections as per the new laws. And this too has gone down well with the FIFA-AFC delegates.
According to one of the stakeholders part of the meeting with the FIFA-AFC delegate, the talks were constructive.
"As a member association we are not objecting to the CoA as we are getting their support and working together for holding elections as early as possible," said one who attended the meeting on Wednesday. And since the earlier executive council had to go because they exceeded their term and tenure, the delegate doesn't have a problem as of now. As long as the CoA adheres to the time frame — that is conducting elections by September or so — there seems to be no issue with state units either. "We will agree upon a stipulated date when the election would take place," said a representative.
According to the CoA, it "had a constructive and cordial meeting with the joint team of the FIFA and Asian Football Confederation in New Delhi on Tuesday wherein everyone discussed working forward together for the cause of Indian Football".
As for the timeline, it is expected to be decided after another round of meetings on Thursday with stakeholders. As for the priority of the delegate, it's paving way for elected members as early as possible under a new constitution that is acceptable to all.
The delegate was supposed to meet sports minister Anurag Thakur later on Wednesday to discuss about the U-17 women's FIFA World Cup this October. If everything goes as per plan, the organising of the World Cup would be handed over to the newly-elected body after the elections. Any deviation might lead to FIFA ban.