Indian football | SC appoints Committee of Administrators to manage AIFF

The Supreme Court said the All India Football Federation’s current state of affairs is not in the interest of proper governance of the federation, thereby appointing a Committee of Administrators to take charge

The Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) headed by former top court judge A. R. Dave to manage the affairs of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and adoption of its constitution in line with the National Sports Code and model guidelines.

A bench of Justices D. Y. Chandrachud, Surya Kant and P. S. Narasimha said the COA will comprise two earlier members—Dr. S. Y. Qureshi, former Chief Election Commissioner, and Bhaskar Ganguly, former captain of the Indian Football Team—besides Justice Dave.

The top court said the current state of affairs is not in the interest of proper governance of the federation.

It directed the CoA to forthwith take charge of the AIFF and assist the court by providing inputs to the court in facilitating the adoption of the constitution by the AIFF in accordance with the National Sports Code and model guidelines.

The bench said the COA will prepare electoral rolls for the purpose of conducting elections to the executive committee of AIFF as per the constitution to be submitted by the two-member committee (ombudsman) of Mr. Qureshi and Mr. Ganguly.

“The committee of administrators shall carry out day-to-day governance of the All India Football Federation”, the bench said, adding the COA will be at a liberty to take the assistance of the erstwhile committee of the federation in holding of tournaments and selection of players and other affairs.

The bench said the newly constituted committee of administrators shall sit in Football House at Dwarka or any other place of convenience.