Shashwati Chowdhury
Published on: August 22, 2022 at 20:06 IST
The central government filed an application before the Supreme Court on Sunday, seeking an end to the “mandate” of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), as sought by the world governing body, in a desperate attempt to have the FIFA ban on AIFF lifted.
One could see the sports ministry’s action, which came a day before an important hearing of the top court, as an effort to save the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in October.
Due to “third party interference,” the world body on August 15 banned the All India Football Federation (AIFF), stating that the women’s age-group showpiece “cannot now be held in India as planned.”
In its application, the government has essentially agreed to all of FIFA’s demands, including eliminating the tenure of the CoA by the SC and prohibiting the participation of individual members in the electoral college.
FIFA stated in a statement that the repealing of CoA’s mandate in full must take place before lifting the suspension on AIFF. The AIFF administration should “be totally in charge of the AIFF’s everyday business,” according to FIFA.
According to the world body, the AIFF general assembly should elect an “independent electoral committee to oversee the election of a new executive committee.”
AIFF elections must also be based on the organization’s present membership, it also stated (i.e., state associations only without individual members). The procedure of filing nomination papers was finished on Saturday after the SC cleared the holding of the AIFF elections on August 28.
Seven contenders, including the legendary Bhaichung Bhutia, have filed their nominations for the position of president. However, the returning officer rejected two of them on Sunday after the proposer and seconder claimed they had not signed any candidate’s nomination papers.
The government said that, “The country’s problems are acute, thus it is crucial that neither India loses its right to host the coveted FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2022 nor that its talented football players—regardless of their age—be prevented from competing in international competitions.”
An indulgence by this Hon’ble Court is the only way forward and will serve the wider interests of the nation.
This Hon’ble Court has the power to do complete justice, and this would be one of the most exceptional cases in which it would be necessary to bend the letter or spirit of the procedural rules to do complete justice.