12 ISL captains, including Chhetri, Jhingan sign petition to be submitted to SC

New Delhi, Nov 14 (PTI) Twelve Indian Super League captains, including star India players like Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan and Lallianzuala Chhangte have signed a petition to be submitted to the Supreme Court regarding the currently paused ISL season, according to sources.

The captains had talked about the petition during an online meeting earlier in the week.

"They have signed the petition and it's likely to be submitted next week," a source privy to the development told PTI.

On November 11, the country's distressed football players had issued a joint statement pleading with the administrators to get the currently paused ISL season underway, saying that their "anger and frustration" has turned into desperation now.

The plea came after the All India Football Federation last week said it did not receive any bids for the commercial rights of the ISL after the Request for Proposal (RFP) on October 16, which invited bids for a 15-year contract to monetise the league's commercial and media rights.

"Where we are right now is not a delay anymore, it's a standstill for the coaches, fans, staff members, and players. We have worked too hard, sacrificed too much to let our season vanish in silence," star India defender Jhingan had said in a video posted on his social media handles.

Several national team footballers like Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu had shared a text statement expressing similar sentiments.

"We, professional footballers who play in the Indian Super League are coming together to make a plea and more importantly to send the message that we stand united in our efforts to get the Indian Super League season underway. To put it simply, we want to play, and now.

"Our anger, frustration and distress has now been replaced by desperation. Desperation to play the game we love, in front of people who mean everything to us - our families, our fans," the statement read.

Chhetri also added on Instagram, "We are all standing shoulder to shoulder, willing to do whatever it takes to resurrect the sport we love." The statement urged the game's administrators to figure a way out of the current crisis which has prompted top clubs like Mohun Bagan to halt training.

The failure to attract bidders is likely to raise questions over the league's current commercial viability and the federation's ability to monetise the country's flagship football competition after its decade-long partnership with Football Sports Development Limited ended. PTI PDS PDS SSC SSC