New Delhi: After lodging a complaint with the All Indian Football Federation, four I-League clubs have now dragged Inter Kashi to the Delhi High Court over fielding an ‘ineligible’ player in matches against them.
Through a letter to the AIFF’s disciplinary committee on March 29, Namdhari FC and Real Kashmir had accused Kashi of flouting regulatory provisions through “improper squad modifications” while Delhi FC and Churchill Brothers joined in with similar complaints on April 1.
The AIFF is yet to list these complaints for hearing, though on Kashi’s request it expedited its appeals committee’s hearing from April 28 to April 12 over a similar ineligible player against Namdhari and would again hear the matter on Friday (April 18).
While filing a petition with the Delhi HC on Tuesday, the four clubs have pointed out AIFF’s apparent double standards in dealing with complaints of similar nature.
They have questioned the AIFF for going out of its way to expedite cases in which Kashi could gain points, such as the three points against Namdhari awarded to them by its disciplinary committee that has been put on hold by the appeals committee, but has not showed urgency to hear those cases where Kashi could potentially lose eight points.
With no winner announced despite the competition ending on April 6, these hearings and court verdicts could decide who wins the 2024-25 I-League and get promoted to the top-tier Indian Super League next season.
Churchill were declared to be on top of the standings “provisionally” with 40 points from 22 matches, one ahead of Kashi, who hope to receive a favourable verdict in the appeals committee to become the champions.
Together with Sreenidi Deccan and Aizawl, the four clubs have also appealed to AIFF’s disciplinary committee over ethical malpractices, alleging that a senior Kashi official has been in indirect communication with various clubs as well as AIFF officials to seek unethical favours.
Since all the complaints are of similar nature, Delhi HC judge Sachin Datta would hear all of them together on April 23.
Datta had earlier issued a stay order on the appointment of Anilkumar Prabhakaran as the AIFF’s general secretary in August, 2024.
No hearing of Anilkumar’s case happened on Thursday with judge Datta scheduling it for April 21, till which the stay order would remain in effect.
Barco under scanner
Kashi is alleged to have used “a seventh foreign player”, in contravention of I-League rules that allow clubs to register a maximum of six overseas footballers.
The clubs have cited that Kashi violated articles 6.5.6 and 6.5.7 of tournament regulations, in which a foreigner can be replaced by another foreigner only three times in the competition (due to injury which prevents him from participating in the rest of the competition or mutual contract termination).
It has been pointed out that Spanish striker Mario Barco (jersey No. 9) was replaced from Kashi’s 30-man squad in game week 9 with Serbian centre forward Matija Babovic (jersey No. 30) and then brought back to the squad in game week 15 in replacement of Spanish midfielder Julen Perez del Pino (jersey No. 6).
Kashi also kept Barco in squad for match No. 28 (game week 5) against Churchill Brothers and then added Babovic to their squad for match No. 62 (game week 11) against Rajasthan United at his expense. Barco then made a return to squad for match No. 95 (game week 16) against Delhi FC, match No. 98 (game week 17) against Real Kashmir, match No. 104 (game week 18) against Namdhari.
The clubs argue that as per their understanding of the regulations, a player can be substituted out of the squad in case of a season-ending injury or a mutual termination of contract.
Since the matter is sub-judice Namdhari thought it prudent not to comment on the matter, when News9 Sports sought their response.
The AIFF is swarmed with complaints of ‘ineligible’ players as Sporting Club Bengaluru have lodged a similar complaint against Namdhari while Rajasthan United too have sought action against Real Kashmir.
While filing a petition with the Delhi HC on Tuesday, Namdhari FC, Real Kashmir, Churchill Bros and Delhi FC have pointed out AIFF’s delay in dealing with complaints of similar nature against Inter Kashi. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
