Sudeep Pakrashi:
The All India Football Federation-appointed three-man committee, which has taken the initiative for the resumption of the stagnated ISL this season, offering them proposals in more than a couple of meetings since last week, is extremely disappointed with a few clubs’ intrigue to extend the delay so that ISL does not resume this season!
In reply to AIFF Deputy General Secretary Satyanarayan’s letter to the clubs, seeking their confirmation about the participation in the League, Sporting Club Delhi sent a reply email, mentioning that on behalf of all the 13 clubs, they seek clarification on five specific points before confirming the participation in the ISL this season.
Among the five specific clarifications, the reply emphasized the AIFF’s financial contribution to the League, as it is their property. Secondly, the reply email pointed out that there was no participation fee to be paid to the AIFF in the League, and the third point, mentioned in the reply, was the requirement of government support, which could minimize the participating clubs’ expenditure to stage their respective home matches.
It is believed that AIFF is ready to reveal its financial contribution to the League along with the clubs. Even if the Federation seems willing to break its Fixed Deposit and contribute to the League. But only after the clubs confirm their participation in the League, as two centralized venues have been initially decided to stage the league this season.
More significantly, even though Sporting Delhi FC’s reply-email was sent, mentioning on behalf of all 13 clubs, it is learnt that at least eight among the 13 clubs, including NorthEast United FC, Inter Kashi, FC Goa, do not agree with Sporting Club Delhi FC’s reply-email and they want to take part in the League along with Jamshedpur FC who already have expressed willingness to participate in the League in a new model this season.
One of the top AIFF officials, when asked about the issue, revealed on condition of anonymity, “Only a few, four to five clubs are making this plotting game. They do not want the ISL to be resumed. The AIFF has been criticized constantly throughout the whole episode. But we have created a platform for them through a model where ISL can be resumed. AIFF is ready to announce its financial contribution. But unless the confirmation about participation is there, we cannot reveal.”
At the same time, AIFF has also initiated the primary discussions with the state governments, where two centralised venues have been proposed. AIFF seems optimistic about the respective state governments’ co-operation by providing stadiums, free of cost, and a few other logistical supports.
It is learnt that the three-man committee, in its report, submitted to the AIFF top brass after observations and recommendations, has mentrioned AIFF should bear the cost of refereeing and broadcast production, while Clubs should organise home matches as they had done in previous editions. Secondly, the AIFF should levy a participation fee of ₹1 crore per Club. The commencement date of the ISL will be announced as early as possible. The AIFF should finalise the short-term competition format in consultation with the Clubs, and in the
absence of consensus, the league owner is to finalise the format without permitting further delay or digression.
Any Club refusing to participate should be disqualified and relegated to the immediate lower division. The league commencement date should be declared without any further delay. The Committee also presents, apart from the above modality, another proposal listed below after the conclusion, in the interest of kick-starting the 2025-26 league as early as possible.
