Wanted to bring Sports Bill to SC''s notice first: AIFF on flip-flop over mentioning of ISL issue

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Faced with criticism over its apparent flip-flop, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday clarified that it had intended to first apprise the Supreme Court about the passage of the National Sports Governance Bill before raising the issue of the Indian Super League (ISL) crisis.

On August 14, the AIFF had said it will mention before the SC this week the concerns of the ISL clubs pertaining to the delay in the commencement of the 2025-26 season of the top-tier league and the hardship faced by the players and other stakeholders.

On Sunday afternoon, it was notified that the AIFF will mention the matter before the Court on Monday at 10:30am. But by late evening, the federation changed its decision and notified that it will not mention the matter on Monday.

Late Sunday night, Amicus Curiae Gopal Sankaranarayanan informed that he will be mentioning the case along with other Amicus Curiae Samar Bansal on Monday at 10:30am.

"Based on advice received that the National Sports Governance Bill 2025 had passed both the houses of Parliament, the AIFF's Senior Counsel advised during a briefing meeting on Sunday late evening that this is the first aspect that needs to be brought to the attention of the Hon'ble Supreme Court," the AIFF said in a statement.

"While a decision on the date of mentioning was being contemplated, the Amicus Curiae himself sent a communication stating that he would be mentioning the AIFF matter, and thus the hearing proceeded in Hon'ble Supreme Court this morning." The AIFF said its senior counsel appeared before the SC -- which has reserved its judgment on the draft constitution case -- on Monday and made oral submissions on certain matters.

"The Hon'ble Supreme Court has requested written submissions from the parties prior to the next hearing on Friday August 22.

"The AIFF intends to use this opportunity to represent to the Hon'ble Supreme Court the urgent need for commercial continuity and to determine the future structure of its top-tier league, in the interests of players, clubs and other parties all of whose livelihoods are at stake due to the current impasse." Hundreds of Indian and foreign footballers are living in uncertainty as the Masters Rights Agreement (MRA) between Indian Super League organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and AIFF is yet to be renewed.

Eleven ISL clubs have warned the AIFF that they "face the real possibility of shutting down entirely" if the ongoing impasse regarding the future of the top-tier domestic competition is not resolved soon.

The clubs said that the crisis arising out of the non-renewal of the MRA has "paralysed professional football in India".

The crisis surfaced after FSDL put the 2025-26 ISL season “on hold” on July 11 due to uncertainty over the renewal of the MRA, prompting at least three clubs to either pause first-team operations or suspend player and staff salaries. PTI PDS PDS ATK