Gokulam Kerala FC women's football team stranded in Uzbekistan; seeks Centre's intervention amid FIFA ban

Indian Women's League champions Gokulam Kerala is stranded in Uzbekistan after FIFA bans the Indian football federation on Tuesday.

Gokulam Kerala FC's women's team was set to open their campaign in the AFC Women's Club Championship against home side Sogdiana-W in Qarshi, Uzbekistan on August 23.

Gokulam Kerala FC is a club based in Kerala. In a Tweet, Gokulam Kerala FC seeks the central government's intervention saying, "23 women team players of Gokulam Kerala FC are stranded at Tashkent now of no fault of ours."

23 women team players of Gokulam Kerala FC are stranded at Tashkent now of no fault of ours. We request urgent intervention by @PMOIndia @ianuragthakur @Anurag_Office @narendramodi for us to participate in the AFC. pic.twitter.com/ltiM81XE5q

— Gokulam Kerala FC (@GokulamKeralaFC) August 17, 2022

Gokulam Kerala had participated in the last edition of the continental pilot tournament last year and finished third in the four-team event.

The Kozhikode-based side is then set to face Bam Khatoon FC of Iran in its next round-robin match on August 26 if things proceed well.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred till August 22 hearing on the All India Football Federation (AIFF) matter after the Centre said it is in discussion with FIFA over holding the U-17 Women's world cup in India.

The court also asked the Centre to take proactive steps to hold the world cup in India and lift the suspension of AIFF.

On Tuesday, the FIFA had suspended India for "undue influence from third parties" and stripped the country of the right to host the Under-17 Women's World Cup.

A ban on India was on the cards after the Supreme Court removed Praful Patel as AIFF president on May 18 for not holding elections due in December 2020.

The court had appointed a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA), headed by former apex court judge AR Dave, to manage the affairs of the national federation.

The CoA, which has former Chief Commissioner of India SY Quraishi and ex India captain Bhaskar Ganguly as other members, also had to frame its constitution in line with the National Sports Code and model guidelines.