FIFA suspends All India Football Federation due to third party influence

FIFA on Monday announced the suspension of All India Football Federation (AIFF) citing “undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.”

The announcement was made on their website which stated that FIFA would lift the suspension “once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been repealed and the AIFF administration regains full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs.”

The suspension has subsequently threatened India hosting the Under-17 Women’s World Cup which is slated to begin from October 11 onwards. FIFA revealed that they are assessing the next steps with regard to the tournament.

The suspension has other implications as well for Indian football which includes the fact the domestic tournaments now staged will not be recognised by either Asian Football Confederation (AFC) or FIFA, while the national teams will not be able to play any international matches.

The Supreme Court of India had disbanded AIFF in May and had appointed a three-member committee to govern the sport, amend the AIFF’s constitution and conduct elections that have been pending for 18 months. FIFA and AFC too had sent a team of their own, led by AFC general secretary Windsor John, to meet the stakeholders of the Indian football and work on a blueprint for AIFF to amend its statutes by end of July and end with elections by September 15.

“FIFA is in constant constructive contact with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India and is hopeful that a positive outcome to the case may still be achieved,” FIFA added.

According to FIFA statutes, member federations must be free from legal and political interference in their respective countries. FIFA has previously suspended other national associations over similar cases.