New Delhi: ‘The All India Football Federation has decided to remove four clubs from the I-League, including former champions Churchill Brothers, for not fulfilling its club licensing regulations. The decision was taken at a meeting of the AIFF’s club licensing committee here on Wednesday.
Mohammedan Sporting and United Sports Club of Kolkata and Shillong-based Rangdajied United were the other clubs to be relegated. All the four clubs will be out of the I-League for at least a year.
According to the AIFF’s relevant regulations, clubs are expected to meet several legal, administrative, sporting, infrastructure and financial criteria. Licensing is an annual process where all clubs eligible to compete based on sporting merit need to have a license under the AIFF’s Indian Club Licensing System.
Last year, Pune FC was the only I-League which had fulfilled all the criteria while the other clubs were given a one-off one-year exemption.
AIFF senior-vice president Subrata Dutta asserted that the move was a vital step towards the upliftment of India football.
“It is the duty of all the clubs to profesionalise themselves properly. The victory of Bengaluru FC has proved that there is no alternative to professionalism,” Dutta told this paper on Wednesday.
Dutta rubished suggestions that taking action against popular clubs like Mohammedan Sporting and Churchill Brothers would dent the popularity of the game in the country.
“Having a huge support base is all the more reason to turn professional and keep their club in proper shape. The officials have a duty to ensure the club does well in the interest of the fans,” he said.
“If you are not professional, then you have no reason to play in the I-League.”
Royal Wahingdoh, who have earned promotion to the first division after winning this year’s second division I-League have been handed one year’s breathing space.
