By Sudipto Ganguly
MUMBAI (Reuters) – India’s football association has asked world governing body FIFA to lift the suspension imposed on it after the mandate of a court-appointed committee to govern the sport in the country was terminated this week.
India’s highest court disbanded the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in May and appointed a three-member committee to govern the sport, amend the body’s constitution and conduct elections that have been pending for 18 months.
FIFA banned the AIFF this month, citing “undue influence from third parties” and said the suspension would be lifted once the national body regains full control of its daily affairs.
On Monday, India’s Supreme Court ruled that the committee’s mandate “stands terminated” and the day-to-day management of the country’s soccer affairs will be handed back to the AIFF.
In a letter sent to FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura on Tuesday the AIFF apprised the world governing body of the court’s ruling.
“We request the FIFA… to reconsider their decision of suspending the AlFF,” Sunando Dhar, AIFF’s acting general secretary, wrote in the letter.
“Since the conditions set out in your letter for lifting of the suspension stand satisfied, we request that a order to that effect be passed at the earliest for the AIFF to continue with the smooth running of football in India.”
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the AIFF letter.
India is scheduled to host the Under-17 women’s World Cup from Oct. 11-30 but their hosting right is under threat due to the FIFA suspension.
The elections of the AIFF, formerly led by FIFA Council member Praful Patel, were to be held by December 2020 but were delayed due to an impasse over amendments to its constitution.
The AIFF elections are currently scheduled to be held early next month.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Kim Coghill)
