Ex-players to play role in AIFF EC elections: SC

New Delhi, Aug 3: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed that the interim executive committee for All India Football Federation (AIFF) would be elected not only by 36 state football federations, but also by 36 eminent former football players – 24 male and 12 female players who played international matches for India.
A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and JB Pardiwala directed the Committee of Administrators (CoA) to conduct AIFF elections expeditiously as per the timeline laid down by the CoA and in consonance with the football federation’s draft constitution.
It clarified that the elected committee would be an interim body, which would continue for a period of 3 months subject to further orders. The top court asked the CoA to hold the election expeditiously to ensure that the Under 17 Women’s World Cup, which India is hosting, is managed by an elected body.
The bench declined to entertain the state football federations’ plea that they should only have voting rights, and instead pointed out even the National Sports Code says players should be represented in sports federations.
Considering the CoA’s proposal, the top court said for the purpose of elections, apart from the state football federations, the electoral college would include representatives of 36 eminent football players. These players should have represented India in at least one match in international football and have retired from international football at least 2 years prior to the date of the notification of the election. (IANS)