Centre mentions FIFA suspension of AIFF before SC, hearing tomorrow

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Aug 16: The Centre on Tuesday sought urgent hearing in the Supreme Court on the All India Football Federation matter in the wake of FIFA suspending India for ”undue influence from third parties” and stripping the country of the right to host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup. The country is scheduled to host the FIFA tournament from October 11-30.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that ”important development” has taken place and FIFA has sent a letter suspending India which is in public domain and needs to be brought on record. The bench told Mehta that the matter is listed for Wednesday and it would try to take it up as a first matter.

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Mehta said FIFA was in Geneva and it has taken certain decisions which are important developments for the country and need to be brought before the court. ”I request that the AIFF matter pending before the court be urgently heard”, he said. India was on Tuesday suspended by world governing body FIFA for ”undue influence from third parties” and stripped the country of the right to host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled for October. This is the first time that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been banned by FIFA in its 85-year-old history. A ban on India was on the cards after the Supreme Court removed Praful Patel as AIFF president on May 18 for not holding elections due in December 2020.

The court had appointed a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA), headed by former apex court judge AR Dave, to manage the affairs of the national federation.

The CoA, which has former Chief Commissioner of India SY Quraishi and ex India captain Bhaskar Ganguly as other members, also had to frame its constitution in line with the National Sports Code and model guidelines.