Proposal from 10 clubs to manage ISL in perpetuity fails to get nod of AIFF General Body

New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) A proposal from 10 Indian Super League (ISL) clubs for "perpetual" operational and commercial ownership of the country's top-tier competition failed to get the approval of All India Football Federation's (AIFF) General Body which on Saturday formed a committee to look into the matter.

On Friday, the clubs had proposed a fundamental restructuring of the ISL, seeking perpetual operational and commercial rights for a club-owned league model while retaining the All India Football Federation (AIFF) as the sport's regulator.

The proposal fell through when it was put for consideration before the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the AIFF here. AIFF Executive Committee member Avijit Paul had on Friday termed the proposal as "unacceptable".

"A proposal regarding the future of the ISL was submitted by 10 clubs and presented at the AGM by Mr. Vinay Chopra, CEO of Mohun Bagan Super Giant. Due to mixed reactions from the assembly regarding the clubs' request to manage the league in perpetuity, the Federation appointed a three-member committee to seek a resolution," the AIFF said in a statement. The committee will consists of Kerala Football Association President Navas Meeran, Goa state unit chief Caitano Fernandes and Indian Football Association (West Bengal) Secretary Anirban Datta, along with AIFF Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan as ex-officio member.

The panel will hold discussions with representatives of five clubs -- Chennaiyin FC, Mumbai City FC, Delhi Sporting Club, NorthEast United FC, and Mohun Bagan Super Giant from December 22 to 29.

"Their objective is to reach an agreement that adheres to the AIFF Constitution laid out by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India," the statement added.

The AIFF said, if necessary, it will consult with FIFA and the AFC to review how similar situations in other nations were handled as precedents.

"During these proceedings, the respective observers from FIFA and the AFC, Mr. Prince Rufus and Mr. Niren Mukherjee, advised that the AIFF Constitution remains the governing authority for these decisions," the AIFF said.

The clubs had earlier told the AIFF to urge the Supreme Court to amend the "commercially restrictive" clauses of the new constitution. But with the AIFF emphasising on adhering to the AIFF Constitution laid out by the SC, it is anybody's guess whether the clubs will agree to any solution in future.

Saturday's development meant that the uncertainty over the fate of the ISL is not going to be settled so soon.

Indian domestic football plunged into chaos after FSDL informed the AIFF in July that it was keeping the country's top-tier league on hold due to a lack of clarity over the renewal of the 15-year Master Rights Agreement (MRA) that has ended on December 8.

After the tender for ISL's commercial rights got no takers, Justice Rao recommended to the Supreme Court to strike a balance between "preserving" the AIFF's authority and keeping in mind prospective bidders' commercial interests.

During Saturday's AGM, official objection letters from Executive Committee Members Avijit Paul and Valanka Alemao on the proposal by the ISL clubs, along with East Bengal FC Director Debabrata Sarkar, who wrote on behalf of Emami East Bengal FC, were formally placed on record.

The General House also addressed a proposal from I-League clubs by forming a three-member committee made up of Andhra Pradesh Association President Kotagiri Sridhar, Mizoram state unit Secretary Lalrengpuia and Punjab FA Secretary Harjinder Singh, who will work with Satyanarayan to find a solution.

Additionally, as required by the AIFF Constitution, the General Body approved the appointment of several retired Supreme Court and High Court judges, a former Chief Election Commissioner, and various former IPS officers as chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of the independent judicial committees.

The Executive Committee of the AIFF met before the AGM. PTI PDS PDS KHS