Praful Patel vs Sports Ministry: AIFF president’s tenure violates Sports Code, Supreme Court informed

Praful Patel completed his three terms and 12 years as AIFF president in December 2020, the maximum permitted to a national sports federation (NSF) chief under the Sports Code. 

Praful Patel has no mandate to continue as All India Football Federation president as he has already served three terms and the national body should hold elections without further delay, the Sports Ministry has informed the Supreme Court. In an affidavit to the Supreme Court on April 8 in relation to a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the AIFF, the sports ministry said Patel's tenure was in violation of the Sports Code.

“...The term of existing committee (of AIFF) is already over, and the existing president (Praful Patel) has completed more than 12 years as president, the petitioner (AIFF) should hold elections without further delay as per extant instructions contained under Sports Code and the instructions issued by the Answering Respondent (sports ministry) from time to time,” the ministry’s affidavit said.

“That thus the tenure of an office bearer of the Petitioner, such as the president, who has already served 12 years as president of AIFF, will be in violation of the Sports Code, specifically clause 9.3 (iii) of the Sports Code read with the notification dated 01.05.2010.”

Patel completed his three terms and 12 years as AIFF president in December 2020, the maximum permitted to a national sports federation (NSF) chief under the Sports Code. The AIFF, however, did not hold the elections, citing a pending petition in the Supreme Court regarding its constitution.

The AIFF moved an application in the Supreme Court only a month before its elections were due, seeking certain clarifications on the status of its constitution, which was under scrutiny in the Apex Court since 2017. The case is still pending.