New Delhi: The All India Football Federation handed over the I-League trophy to Churchill Brothers on Sunday, in an apparent disregard to a Court of Arbitration for Sport order that barred organisation of any medal ceremony till Inter Kashi’s case challenging the federation’s decision is resolved.
Kashi had filed a plea with the Lausanne-headquartered CAS on Tuesday, seeking to overturn the AIFF appeal committee’s decision of rejecting their plea of match forfeiture by Namdhari FC and subsequent announcement of Churchill as the I-League champions along with a directive to host a prize-distribution ceremony.
CAS issued a stay order on the AIFF appeal committee’s judgement issued on April 18, and instructed to put a hold to all arrangements of hosting the prize presentation ceremony.
“The Application for Provisional Measures filed by Inter Kashi FC in the matter CAS 2025/A/11374 Inter Kashi FC v. AIFF & Churchill Brothers FC Goa & Namdhari FC is granted,” CAS said in its interim order on Sunday.
“The decision rendered by the Appeal Committee of All India Football Federation rendered on 18 April 2025 is stayed.
“The All India Football Federation is ordered not to declare the winner of the I-League 2024/2025 or organise a medal ceremony for the I-League 2024-25 until the present arbitration has been concluded.
“All India Football Federation, Churchill Brothers FC Goa and Namdhari FC are granted a time limit to file a full reply to the Applicant’s application for provisional measures until 29 April 2025.”
Timely or untimely?
But despite being prohibited by CAS, which FIFA recognises as the final arbiter in sporting matters, the AIFF went ahead with its pre-determined plans with deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan handing over the trophy to team owner Alemao Churchill at a plush hotel in South Goa.
Asked if the AIFF was aware of CAS’ order, an AIFF official claimed: “We didn’t get the CAS order until after conclusion of the ceremony. The ceremony was held at 4pm IST. We received the mail from the Kashi’s lawyer at 4.45 pm.”
“The All India Football Federation (AIFF) would like to clarify that, with regard to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) order, due to a holiday in the AIFF Secretariat, the Federation was only informed of the order at a time when the ceremony had already been concluded in Goa,” the federation said in a statement.
“The AIFF remains committed to adhering to all regulatory and legal processes and will take appropriate action.”
“It’s natural to celebrate wins when you’re new to the game. But at Churchill Brothers, our DNA has always screamed silverware. 3—that’s the number of I-League titles we’ve won, more than the number of years some clubs have even existed,” Churchill wrote on their social media profiles, accompanying it with photos of the I-League trophy.
However, a Kashi official claimed to News9 Sports that the mail from CAS was simultaneously sent to applicant Inter Kashi and respondents the AIFF, Churchill and Namdhari FC at 1.30 pm IST.
CAS has ordered the AIFF, Churchill and Namdhari to file their replies by April 29 when it will hear the matter again. It remains to be seen how CAS views AIFF’s act of conducting the award ceremony on a Sunday when Super Cup matches were also held in Bhubaneswar.
After filing of reply and exchange of pleadings, a preliminary hearing is scheduled before arrangement of final hearing and deliverance of the final verdict.
The CAS panel issues a binding arbitral award, which can only be challenged in Swiss Federal Tribunal under limited grounds.
As per the CAS website, the ordinary procedure of arbitration “lasts between 6 and 12 months. For the appeals procedure, an award must be pronounced within three months after the transfer of the file to the panel.”
“In urgent cases and upon request, the CAS may, within a very short time, order interim measures or suspend the execution of a decision appealed against.”
The AIFF handed over the I-League trophy to Churchill Brothers on a day when CAS issued a stay order on the decision to announce them as winners and even barred all arrangements of hosting the prize presentation ceremony. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
