I-League clubs to approach court if ISL is made top league

Putting up a united front, seven I-League clubs Monday said they are ready to approach "appropriate courts for relief" if the All India Football Federation makes the ISL the country's top league.

Miffed at AIFF general secretary Kushal Das's public acknowledgement of Indian Super League as the country's main league, representatives of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Churchill Brothers, Minerva Punjab FC, Aizawl FC, NEROCA and Gokulam Kerala FC held a meeting in New Delhi, where they decided to move courts.

Das' acknowledgement is expected to be rubber-stamped in the AIFF's executive committee meeting on July 3.

"With media reports indicating that the ISL being announced as the top division league post an Executive committee meeting scheduled for July 3rd, the I-League clubs are standing united stronger than ever," the clubs said in a joint statement.

 

"The refusal of the President of AIFF to meet the I-League clubs in spite of several requests and the subsequent vindictive actions specifically towards the I-League clubs, combined with the coercive and blackmailing attitude of FSDL towards AIFF by refusing to make payments pushes the game to an uncertain future."

Recently, six aggrieved I-League clubs hit out at the AIFF disciplinary committee's decision to impose a hefty fine of Rs 27.5 lakh fine on them for boycotting the Super Cup citing unfair "step-motherly" treatment by the federation.

The clubs backed out at the last moment, much to the chagrin of AIFF and FSDL (Football Sports Development Limited), subsidiary of the federation's commercial partner, IMG-Reliance.

The clubs further stated: "I League has been the national league since 1996 and carries the tradition of Indian Football with it. This tradition has helped create what football in India stands today and has been the torch bearer of Indian Football. I League has been the sole driving force in creating footballers and fans of the game in the country.

"To be now told that the I-League will no longer be the top league is completely unacceptable and illegal and we pledge to fight this together as one football family which carries the tradition of Indian football.