I-league Club Owners Accuse AIFF Of 'Tender Process Mismanagement', Threaten To Move To FIFA

Putting up a united front, owners of 13 I-League clubs on Saturday accused All India Football Federation (AIFF) of jeopardizing future of second tier championship, citing complete mismanagement in bidding process of brocast rights.

I-League is set to start on November 22.

club owners threatened to take up matter to Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, claiming that AIFF’s actions violate football development romap.

Questions were being asked why tender for brocast of five entities of AIFF -- I-League, I-League 2, Indian Women's League, Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's Championship -- is being awarded when a single company (Shrachi Group) has been sole bidder.

AIFF has sought its executive committee's nod to award bid to Shrachi Sports.

"According to rules, you need at least two bidders for a tender to be valid, but re was only one bidder (Shrachi Group). tender committee didn't even sign document when it was opened, and permission from ExCo was only taken yesterday," Delhi FC owner Ranjit Bajaj cited lack of transparency in whole process.

"If tender is granted to Shrachi Group, tender needs to be finalised by executive committee. It has to be ratified and decided by m. president and general secretary cannot make decisions and n ask ExCo for permission," Bajaj said.

Maintaining that this is not a call for a boycott, owners expressed frustration over lack of communication and delay in announcing brocasters for league, which is slated to kick off on November 1.

"Professional brocasting is an integral part of sports development globally," said Delhi FC owner Ranjit Bajaj.

"If federation doesn’t understand importance of brocasting, AFC and FIFA can intervene. How can federation treat us this way? This ill treatment of I-League clubs must end," said Bajaj during a zoom call.

"y aren’t even following romap that y agreed upon with AFC and FIFA.

"Our first step after this will be to approach AFC and FIFA because y are ones who signed off on this romap. Even Ethics Committee can be contacted," Bajaj threatened.

It is learnt that multiple executive committee members have objected because of quantum of money that is involved in selling five of AIFF's biggest properties without consultation.

"We can't keep bidding this much without visibility and platform for growth. None of players can be sold to ISL or play for national teams because we’re not on TV," Bajaj ded.

" fixtures were released a month ago, and we were told we were non-compliant because we hn’t paid Rs 7 lakh fees. But how could we pay when we didn’t even know who our brocasters were?" he asked.

club owners furr slammed AIFF for its failure to follow agreed romap, noting that promotion and relegation between leagues should have been implemented as per AFC’s guidelines.

" AFC romap clearly says that last year re should have been promotion of two teams, and this year re would be promotion and relegation, with two teams promoted and two relegated. AFC, AIFF, FSDL, and all I-League clubs agreed to it.

"Now we find out that y are going to destroy us. From next year, re will be franchise leagues in various states, and that’s death of Indian football," he cautioned.

"y want to create franchise commercial models in each state. winner of franchise league will enter national league, and winner of that will go into ISL.

"What happens to all football clubs in I-League 3, I-League 2, and state leagues, which have spent blood, sweat, and tears over generations to keep se clubs alive for love of football? y’ve me everybody redundant just to make quick money," Bajaj said.

Co-founder of Real Kashmir Arsh Shawl said: “We are very sorry that we've come at this level where we needed to dress this issue publicly, inste of sitting behind closed doors to resolve our differences. On behalf of I-League owners, we are hopeful that we’ll come toger, iron out our differences, and start league on time with all expectations met.”