New Delhi: Not only promotion from the I-League, relegation from it also hung in balance now after the All Indian Football Federation’s appeal committee put a hold on demotion from the competition on Tuesday.
In a relief to Delhi FC and SC Bengaluru, who were set to go down as per regulations after finishing at the bottom two spots of 12-team competition, the appeal committee has stayed the process of relegation until it arrives at a final judgement.
Delhi FC (14 points from 22 matches) and SC Bengaluru (21 points in 22 matches) had sought relief before the appeals committee from demotion citing AIFF’s Vision 2047 plan of of having 16 teams in the I-League and pointing to absence of relegation in the top-flight ISL.
Since there in no drop in the ISL, teams shouldn’t be forced to go down from the second division too, the I-League clubs had argued. The appeal was initially made to AIFF’s disciplinary committee, which directed it towards the appeals committee.
“From a perusal of the order passed by the AIFF Disciplinary Committee it appears that it has overlooked the process of relegation in I-League 2024-25 where numerous past instances having been referred wherein the AIFF had itself waived the relegation.
“…the circumstances of the case warrant that any order passed for relegation shall remain in abeyance and shall not be acted upon till the final hearing of the appeals itself,” the five-member appeal committee, headed by retired Justice Rajesh Tandon, noted in its interim order.
Delhi FC and SCB also argued that any relegation by a proper and competent authority will amount to having serious penal consequences while challenging it initially before the disciplinary committee.
Next hearing on May 30
The appeal committee has given the AIFF two days to file their objections on the matter and will hear it again on May 30.
Earlier, Inter Kashi had challenged the appeal committee’s verdict of announcing Churchill Brothers as the I-League champions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
CAS had put an interim stay order of the judgement and called for all parties, including the AIFF to present their submissions. A fresh date of hearing for the case is yet to be announced.
Delhi FC is also among four I-League clubs who had dragged Inter Kashi to the Delhi High Court over fielding an ‘ineligible’ player in matches against them.
In a relief to Delhi FC and SC Bengaluru, who were set to go down as per regulations after finishing at the bottom two spots of I-League, the AIFF appeal committee has stayed the process of relegation until it arrives at a final judgement. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
