The five-star facility near Barakhamba Road in New Delhi has hosted many conferences and seminars on sport in recent past. Nothing, however, could match the significance of the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) executive committee meeting on July 9.
On that fateful afternoon, AIFF, led by its politician-president Praful Patel, took a decision that will have far-reaching implications on Indian football. From a people’s game, it has suddenly been reduced to a pocket monopoly of a privately-owned organisation.
Based on a Master Rights Agreement (MRA) signed by AIFF with its Mumbai-based marketing partners in 2010, Patel’s men decided to promote the privately-run annual franchise-based league as the country’s National League — its champion will now hold the sole rights of representing India in the Asian Champions League (ACL). Previously, the ACL slot was reserved for I-League winners.
The decision also effectively put the future of traditional I-League and its participating clubs, including Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, in complete jeopardy. While elevating the status of the franchise-based league, the federation has given no guarantee whatsoever on I-League’s future calendar, its television coverage and its current standing on the Asian circuit.
One may equate it with an imaginary situation where the IPL receives the top tier recognition from the Indian cricket board leaving the Ranji Trophy or the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in the lurch. In reality, the Indian football scenario is far worse.
Even a cursory glance at the MRA will reveal that Patel’s AIFF has virtually sold its soul to its rich and all-powerful marketing partners in exchange of Rs 50 crore per year till 2025. It now holds no rights on its national league. It has no right in selecting clubs to play in the league, to finalise fixtures or frame regulations. It can’t introduce a promotion-relegation system.
Let us quote a few lines from the MRA to understand how Patel’s AIFF has practically given up all its rights to be called a public body and a government recognised national sports federation (NSF).
A clause in the “strictly confidential” MRA says: “AIFF hereby warrants that the company shall have the unfettered right and ability to establish the new league as the most senior and prestigious professional football league in India and that the existing I-League may, as a result of the introduction of the new league, be reconstituted, replaced, and/or discontinued (temporarily or permanently)…”
It doesn’t stop here. It further says: “…company shall be entitled without any additional payment other than the fees and without AIFF infringing any third party rights or any kind whatsoever (whether of the clubs or otherwise), to decide upon the format, rules or structure of the league and the teams and players, which will compete in it.” Well, one can go on quoting from the MRA that effectively reduces AIFF to a non-entity. It also leaves no one in doubt about who actually runs football in India.
Does an NSF have the rights to sign an agreement that would practically hand over the sport to a private party?
To please its marketing partners, AIFF has moved far beyond the MRA. The agreement never mentioned the ACL spot would go to the franchise-based league. AIFF relented immediately when it was allegedly threatened with non-payment of money.
The MRA has no specific clause on promotion-relegation system. Yet, AIFF readily agreed to a closed league for an unspecified number of seasons despite knowing it would be a huge injustice for rest of the clubs in the country.
The MRA did not demand a large number of people from the marketing committee should be included in important AIFF sub-committees. AIFF took them on board on their own!
To support its own stand, AIFF, on July 9, issued a press release. It said the ACL spot was awarded to the franchise-based league after having received a request from them. Curiously, no one has seen the letter. Not even league sub-committee members, who are supposed to deliberate on it.
In the same press release, AIFF praised the franchise-based league for its achievements in following club licencing criteria. It forgot to mention that at least three franchises failed in clearing all the licencing criteria last season. One franchise even refused to part with its annual financial report.
The question is, what was the hurry in recognising a league with too many conflicts? Why did no one enquire how the franchises were handpicked by its marketing partners without following the open bid process? Finally, what prompted Patel and his committee to sign such a one- sided contract in 2010?
There seems a definite plan to oust the non-franchise clubs from the scene, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal included. The process is easy — kill the I-League and even popular outfits like Aizawl FC or Real Kashmir FC will fizzle out. Only franchises with the right connections and ownerships would survive in Indian club football.
The I-League clubs are making noises about AIFF’s step-motherly attitude. They are threatening to move court. It will not help. They are pitted against an extremely unfriendly parent body which basks in the glory of its highly influential marketing partners.
Moreover, I-League clubs neither have the resources nor the vision to engage in a long-drawn ideological battle. If AIFF is unrelenting, it is because they have already smelled the victory; even if it comes at the expense of Indian football.
So sorry state of affairs. Now that the MRA is published -- or leaked, if you prefer -- albeit selectively, PP should be seriously on backfoot, and be at the point of resigning. But as the last paragraphs suggest, there is nobody to hound him. He is basically stonewalling IL clubs, and moving on with his agenda.
Fanboy don't care about EB, EB is a laughing stock among them, your club have some little support left in I league circle that too you want to back stab showing your EB culture.
Hahaha aiff will give a shit if tomorrow EB closes down, nor does ambanis cares about your bagger club, only clubs with money will be allowed in ISL, not unprofessional baggers.
Praful Patel looks for happy marriage between ISL and I-League
Will the AFC agree for the ISL and I-League to coexist for the next three seasons? They had asked the federation to merge the leagues by 2019-20.
The whole thing is being looked at in a narrow way. You have an ISL, they have a certain financial structure and the I-League has a different structure. You are talking about integrating it, but how will you integrate a club which is spending ₹2 crore a year with one which is spending ₹40 crore. A solution must be found which is a happy marriage between the two. Otherwise it will be the same thing, a club with ₹2 crore investment won’t do well and will always run out of steam and go away. The ISL doesn’t mean guaranteed success; they must keep performing to retain public interest. Otherwise for how many years will they spend ₹30-40 crore.
We had gone to the AFC and said we have the ISL and we want to convert it to a full-fledged league, we have a lot of issues and it will take time.
What do you think should be the ideal long-term solution for Indian football?
The ideal long-term solution will have one league with promotion and relegation. No FIFA or AFC will allow us a closed league. So, there’s no need to worry for these I-League clubs. I would have talked to FSDL and got certain things through negotiation even if it was against the letter and spirit of the MRA. Five years are gone; they are open to adding more city-based clubs. In another three or so years – the window opens and you can negotiate with IMG-R to allow and integrate after eight years and not 10. They protect the ISL clubs till year 10 and allow lateral entry from season eight. I-League clubs don’t have telecast, they don’t have schedule. We will format it like the ISL with a complete strategy to market the brand and bring them to a level (by then).
After the appeals of Indian national team Coach Igor Stimac to AIFF, more games for Indian players AIFF and WIFA all set to revive 128 years old Rovers Club.
Top tier Indian players, play only 30 to 35 games in a season, which doesn’t improve their games. Indian National football coach Igor Stimac said “Most of the top players in the world play 50or more games in a season. The players need that many games to reach that level of excellence. This also applies for the forwards.” in an interview during the Intercontinental Cup.
Comments
Who stole my football?
The five-star facility near Barakhamba Road in New Delhi has hosted many conferences and seminars on sport in recent past. Nothing, however, could match the significance of the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) executive committee meeting on July 9.
On that fateful afternoon, AIFF, led by its politician-president Praful Patel, took a decision that will have far-reaching implications on Indian football. From a people’s game, it has suddenly been reduced to a pocket monopoly of a privately-owned organisation.
Based on a Master Rights Agreement (MRA) signed by AIFF with its Mumbai-based marketing partners in 2010, Patel’s men decided to promote the privately-run annual franchise-based league as the country’s National League — its champion will now hold the sole rights of representing India in the Asian Champions League (ACL). Previously, the ACL slot was reserved for I-League winners.
The decision also effectively put the future of traditional I-League and its participating clubs, including Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, in complete jeopardy. While elevating the status of the franchise-based league, the federation has given no guarantee whatsoever on I-League’s future calendar, its television coverage and its current standing on the Asian circuit.
One may equate it with an imaginary situation where the IPL receives the top tier recognition from the Indian cricket board leaving the Ranji Trophy or the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in the lurch. In reality, the Indian football scenario is far worse.
Even a cursory glance at the MRA will reveal that Patel’s AIFF has virtually sold its soul to its rich and all-powerful marketing partners in exchange of Rs 50 crore per year till 2025. It now holds no rights on its national league. It has no right in selecting clubs to play in the league, to finalise fixtures or frame regulations. It can’t introduce a promotion-relegation system.
Let us quote a few lines from the MRA to understand how Patel’s AIFF has practically given up all its rights to be called a public body and a government recognised national sports federation (NSF).
A clause in the “strictly confidential” MRA says: “AIFF hereby warrants that the company shall have the unfettered right and ability to establish the new league as the most senior and prestigious professional football league in India and that the existing I-League may, as a result of the introduction of the new league, be reconstituted, replaced, and/or discontinued (temporarily or permanently)…”
It doesn’t stop here. It further says: “…company shall be entitled without any additional payment other than the fees and without AIFF infringing any third party rights or any kind whatsoever (whether of the clubs or otherwise), to decide upon the format, rules or structure of the league and the teams and players, which will compete in it.” Well, one can go on quoting from the MRA that effectively reduces AIFF to a non-entity. It also leaves no one in doubt about who actually runs football in India.
Does an NSF have the rights to sign an agreement that would practically hand over the sport to a private party?
To please its marketing partners, AIFF has moved far beyond the MRA. The agreement never mentioned the ACL spot would go to the franchise-based league. AIFF relented immediately when it was allegedly threatened with non-payment of money.
The MRA has no specific clause on promotion-relegation system. Yet, AIFF readily agreed to a closed league for an unspecified number of seasons despite knowing it would be a huge injustice for rest of the clubs in the country.
The MRA did not demand a large number of people from the marketing committee should be included in important AIFF sub-committees. AIFF took them on board on their own!
To support its own stand, AIFF, on July 9, issued a press release. It said the ACL spot was awarded to the franchise-based league after having received a request from them. Curiously, no one has seen the letter. Not even league sub-committee members, who are supposed to deliberate on it.
In the same press release, AIFF praised the franchise-based league for its achievements in following club licencing criteria. It forgot to mention that at least three franchises failed in clearing all the licencing criteria last season. One franchise even refused to part with its annual financial report.
The question is, what was the hurry in recognising a league with too many conflicts? Why did no one enquire how the franchises were handpicked by its marketing partners without following the open bid process? Finally, what prompted Patel and his committee to sign such a one- sided contract in 2010?
There seems a definite plan to oust the non-franchise clubs from the scene, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal included. The process is easy — kill the I-League and even popular outfits like Aizawl FC or Real Kashmir FC will fizzle out. Only franchises with the right connections and ownerships would survive in Indian club football.
The I-League clubs are making noises about AIFF’s step-motherly attitude. They are threatening to move court. It will not help. They are pitted against an extremely unfriendly parent body which basks in the glory of its highly influential marketing partners.
Moreover, I-League clubs neither have the resources nor the vision to engage in a long-drawn ideological battle. If AIFF is unrelenting, it is because they have already smelled the victory; even if it comes at the expense of Indian football.
https://www.telegraphindia.com/sport/who-stole-my-football/cid/1695308
Praful Patel looks for happy marriage between ISL and I-League
Will the AFC agree for the ISL and I-League to coexist for the next three seasons? They had asked the federation to merge the leagues by 2019-20.
The whole thing is being looked at in a narrow way. You have an ISL, they have a certain financial structure and the I-League has a different structure. You are talking about integrating it, but how will you integrate a club which is spending ₹2 crore a year with one which is spending ₹40 crore. A solution must be found which is a happy marriage between the two. Otherwise it will be the same thing, a club with ₹2 crore investment won’t do well and will always run out of steam and go away. The ISL doesn’t mean guaranteed success; they must keep performing to retain public interest. Otherwise for how many years will they spend ₹30-40 crore.
We had gone to the AFC and said we have the ISL and we want to convert it to a full-fledged league, we have a lot of issues and it will take time.
What do you think should be the ideal long-term solution for Indian football?
The ideal long-term solution will have one league with promotion and relegation. No FIFA or AFC will allow us a closed league. So, there’s no need to worry for these I-League clubs. I would have talked to FSDL and got certain things through negotiation even if it was against the letter and spirit of the MRA. Five years are gone; they are open to adding more city-based clubs. In another three or so years – the window opens and you can negotiate with IMG-R to allow and integrate after eight years and not 10. They protect the ISL clubs till year 10 and allow lateral entry from season eight. I-League clubs don’t have telecast, they don’t have schedule. We will format it like the ISL with a complete strategy to market the brand and bring them to a level (by then).https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/praful-patel-aiff-president-ileague-isl-merger-reliance-fsdl-future-of-indian-football-afc-regulations-fifa-letter/article28748342.ece
AIFF is reviving 128 years old Cup
After the appeals of Indian national team Coach Igor Stimac to AIFF, more games for Indian players AIFF and WIFA all set to revive 128 years old Rovers Club.
Top tier Indian players, play only 30 to 35 games in a season, which doesn’t improve their games. Indian National football coach Igor Stimac said “Most of the top players in the world play 50or more games in a season. The players need that many games to reach that level of excellence. This also applies for the forwards.” in an interview during the Intercontinental Cup.
https://footballsportek.com/aiff-is-reviving-128-years-old-cup/