The Capital's only club playing competitive football in India, Hindustan FC have requested the AIFF to do away with its decision to ask clubs to bear the "cost of travel and stay" for the regional rounds in addition to charging a participation fee of Rs 1 lakh.
Soon after the All India Football Federation decided to end financial support to second division clubs, new entrants South United FC of Bangalore pulled out of the I-league second tier last week.
In a last-ditch attempt, Hindustan FC have now written a letter to the federation explaining them the problems they would face under the new ruling.
"With every passing year, in the absence of any potential investor/sponsor the running of club affairs in Delhi are becoming a really tough job and the new decision of AIFF to bear all the expenses including travel and stay by the club in addition to participation fees of Rs 1 lac will definitely put the club in great difficulty," the club wrote in the letter.
"Under the circumstances, it is requested that this decision of paying participation fees and bear the travel and stay cost for I-League 2 may not be thrust upon the clubs and may be differed till 2016-17 season to enable the clubs to cope up with the situation and continue with the same pattern," it added.
For competition and selection purpose, the AIFF had requested all state associations to send them a tentative list of interested teams for I-League 2 by July 15.
The AIFF though said it will bear the cost for the final phase of the league.
After pulling out of the league, CEO of South United FC Lokknath R Char said: "I want to make it clear that South United is not shutting down. This is a conscious call on the use of funds. The choice was whether to use the money to play in I-League, where we get little or no contribution from football's godfathers, or to use it to get more and more kids playing.
