AIFF Gen Secy calls meeting of state units, with former president Praful Patel in 'attendance'

All India Football Federation General Secretary Kushal Das has called a meeting of its state units on Sunday in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's order to remove Praful Patel as president and constitution of a Committee of Administrators (CoA) to run its day-to-day affairs.

Das has called an informal virtual meeting of presidents and secretaries of member state associations at 3pm on Sunday "to give an update on the recent order of the Honourable Supreme Court".

"Mr. Praful Patel will also be in attendance," he said in the invite sent on AIFF letterhead.

One of the members of the Committee of Administrators, S Y Quraishi had told PTI that Das can continue in his job.

Das is a paid official and not an elected member of the erstwhile executive committee led by Patel, who is also currently the president of Western India Football Association.

A state unit official, however, doubted Das' authority to call such a meeting without consulting the Supreme Court-appointed CoA.

"There is no president and executive committee of AIFF now. Das is under CoA and his reporting authority is CoA. How can he call such a meeting without keeping CoA in the loop?" asked the official.

"I think Das has not even sent a copy of the meeting invite to the CoA." Patel's reign at the helm of AIFF affairs came to an unceremonious end after the SC on Wednesday constituted a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) to run the day-to-day affairs of the national federation.

The SC named a panel headed by Justice (retd) AR Dave, with Quraishi, a former Chief Election Commissioner, and Bhaskar Ganguly, former captain of the Indian football team, as members.

Patel's third term in office ended in December 2020 but he clung to a SC case, which remained pending since 2017, to extend his executive committee's term while refusing to hold elections till the issue of a new constitution was settled by the top court.

Meanwhile, Kerala Football Association (KFA) on Saturday joined Football Delhi in urging world governing body FIFA not to ban India in the aftermath of the SC order.

"...in view of the same (SC order to appoint a CoA), we feel that the FIFA may take disciplinary measures against India," KFA president Tom Jose wrote in a letter to FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura.

"We request your good self to kindly take utmost care in handling this situation in Indian football and take appropriate decision which deemed fit for the growth of Indian football." On Friday, Football Delhi president Shaji Prabahakaran had written to FIFA not to take "any adverse measure" on India and asked the world body to review the circumstances in their entirety before reaching any decision.

"The Supreme Court was left with no other option. It is a special case and it was unavoidable as it (continuation of AIFF EC under Patel) was against the spirit of good governance practices," Prabhakaran wrote in the latter to Samoura.

"...any decision to move FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup (to be hosted by India in October) out of the country will have serious consequences on the future of football in India.

"...request you to send a high power delegation to India to meet all stakeholders, member associations, Committee of Administrators and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to have a dialogue and arrive at a decision which lead to the best interest of Indian football."