SC To Hear FIFA's Suspension Of AIFF Case Tomorrow

The Supreme Court will hear on Wednesday the issue related to FIFA suspending the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect.

This comes after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta took up the matter before the apex court about the recent developments and asked to hear the issue tomorrow.

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said it will hear the matter on Wednesday.

Earlier today, FIFA had suspended the AIFF with immediate effect due to "undue influence" from outside parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.

With the suspension in effect, the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2022, which was scheduled to be held in India on October 30, 2022, now stands cancelled.

"The Bureau of the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to suspend the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes," FIFA said in an official statement.

“The suspension will be lifted once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been repealed and the AIFF administration regains full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs,” the statement added.

In view of the same, Solicitor General told the bench about the development and requested that the be matter be heard urgently be heard tomorrow.

"There is some development. The matter may not be deleted. FIFA has sent a letter, it's in public domain," Mehta told the Supreme Court.

Justice Chandrachud said the AIFF matter is listed for hearing tomorrow and it will not be deleted. "It would not be deleted. Court master says it is the first item tomorrow," the bench said.

The AIFF is currently in disarray and is being run by a Committee of Administrators (CoA) after its former chief Praful Patel stayed in office beyond his term without fresh elections, which the Supreme Court ruled invalid.

On July 21, 2022, FIFA had also indicated to the administrators that the inaugural of the tournament should be carried out under the democratically elected AFIF.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal is likely to contest for the AIFF elections slated to be held later this month, according to reports.

Sonowal reportedly approached the Assam Football Association regarding a possible nomination for the AIFF polls, however, there is no official confirmation for the same.

Earlier this month, the apex court had given a go ahead to the CoA to appoint the returning officer for the elections to the Executive Committee of the AIFF on August 28.

The court, in its order, stated that the returning officer will prepare the final list of voters comprising representatives from 36 state associations and 36 representatives of eminent football players -- 24 male and 12 female.

Nomination papers for the same can be filed from August 17-19, while the counting of votes and results will be declared on August 28/29.