Bhaichung Bhutia moves Supreme Court; says reforms to Indian football, AIFF cannot cannot be scuttled because of FIFA’s suspension threats

Former Indian football team captain Baichung Bhutia has approached the Supreme Court in support of the recent reforms sought to be introduced by the Supreme Court with regard to the election of the Executive Committee of All India Football Federation (AIFF). .Bhutia, by way of an intervention application filed through advocate Purnima Krishna, has submitted that the much needed reforms to Indian football cannot be scuttled due to suspension or other threats by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)."The Applicant submits that the much-needed reforms within AIFF, and the Indian Football at large, cannot be held to ransom because of FIFA’s suspension or any other threats. Reverting to existing system would allow the vested interests to have a stranglehold on AIFF for 4 more years and thereby damage the sport irreparably," Bhutia's application said.He has, therefore, contended that the draft Constitution finalized by the Committee of Administrators (COA) be adopted as the new Constitution of the AIFF, as it prioritizes and promotes the welfare and participation of current and former football players, who are the key stakeholders in Indian Football, over the vested interests who have been in control of Indian Football for several decades. .Pertinently, Bhutia has stated that the concerns raised by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) that inclusion of former players in General Body (GB) would violate FIFA statutes, is misplaced. "It is submitted that FIFA Statutes while they are mandatorily required to be complied with by the member associations, only provide a broad framework under which each Member Association must govern football in its country. Different Member Associations, however, are permitted to follow their own distinct governance models, which are tailored as per the needs and requirements of their domestic football structure," Bhutia's plea said.FIFA had recently issued a press release stating that it had unanimously decided to suspend the AIFF with immediate effect as a result of which the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup 2022 cannot be held in India.This development had come about after the CoA appointed by the Supreme Court to run and write the new constitution of the AIFF, had approached the Supreme Court seeking contempt proceedings against former AIFF President Praful Patel and the office-bearers of seven other state associations.The top court had then ordered on August 3 that the polls for electing Executive Committee to head the AIFF be conducted expeditiously in line with the draft constitution in place.The Court had also rejected the request by State associations to disallow individual eminent players from voting, and made it clear that players with international experience will be allowed to vote and be part of the executive and general committees.FIFA, however, deemed these developments to be "third party interference" in violation of FIFA guidelines leading to the suspension. .Bhutia in his intervention application, has thrown his weight behind the reforms initiated by the top court. He has contended that the structure and composition of the Executive Committees of member associations and the voting powers of the stakeholders are flexible, and not rigid as has sought to be portrayed by FIFA to the COA or by the State Federations.In this regard, his plea cited the domestic football structures in countries like Ivory Coast, South Africa, Senegal, and Qatar."There is no reason why India ought not to be given the option to move towards a more inclusive structure such as those that are in place in the UK, USA, Italy, and Ivory Coast, and which guarantee a more diverse representation of the key stakeholders," he submitted.The matter is slated to be heard by the top court today.