Govt proposes to end CoA mandate in SC application

NEW DELHI: In a desperate move to get the FIFA ban on AIFF revoked, the Central government on Sunday moved an application in the Supreme Court, seeking an end to the “mandate” of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), as demanded by the world governing body.

The Sports Ministry’s move, a day before a crucial hearing of the top court, can be seen as an attempt to salvage the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled in October.

In a desperate move to get the FIFA ban on AIFF revoked, the Central Government on Sunday moved an application in the Supreme Court, seeking an end to the mandate of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), as demanded by the world governing body.

The sports ministry’s move, a day before a crucial hearing of the top court, can be seen as an attempt to salvage the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to be held in October.

The world body had on August 15 imposed a ban on All India Football Federation (AIFF) due to “third party interference” and said that the women’s age-group showpiece “cannot currently be held in India as planned”.

The government in its application has virtually accepted all the demands made by the FIFA, including ending the tenure of the SC-appointed CoA as well as not allowing individual members in the electoral college. It, however, said that the ousted Praful Patel-led dispensation should be excluded from the AIFF.

“This Hon’ble Court may be pleased to ... direct that day-to-day management of AIFF shall be looked after by the AIFF administration led by the acting Secretary General to the exclusion of the earlier elected body and the CoA will have no role in the administration of AIFF from 22.08.2022,” the application read.

“... to require the CoA to submit the final draft constitution to this Hon’ble Court by the end of 23.08.2022, and that the mandate of the COA be declared to be over in full from 23.08.2022.”

In its statement, the FIFA had said that the lifting of the suspension on AIFF will be subject to repealing of CoA’s mandate in full. FIFA also said that it wants the AIFF administration to “be fully in charge of the AIFF’s daily affairs”.

The world body had said that it wants an “independent electoral committee to be elected by the AIFF general assembly to run the elections of a new executive committee”.

It had also said that the AIFF must hold its elections based on the pre-existing membership of the AIFF (i.e state associations only without individual members).