New Delhi: The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Sunday issued a stay order on the All India Football Federation’s decision to announce Churchill Brothers as I-League champions, also ordered to stop efforts to organise a medal ceremony until the matter is settled.
Through a medal ceremony in Goa on Sunday, the AIFF had made plans to crown Churchill as the champions following its appeal committee order on April 18.
But CAS put a hold to all the arrangements of the AIFF, also giving it and Namdhari FC and Churchill Brothers, the other respondents in the case 48 hours to file their reply to Kashi’s (applicant) application seeking provisional measures until the case is heard again on April 29.
“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. The decision rendered by the Appeal Committee of All India Football Federation rendered on 18 April 2025 is stayed,” CAS said in its interim order on Sunday.
“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.
“The costs of the present Order shall be determined in the final award or in any other final disposition of this arbitration.”
AIFF appeal committee ruled in favour of Churchill
Kashi had filed an appeal at CAS on Tuesday, seeking to overturn the AIFF’s decision of rejecting their plea of match forfeiture by opponent and subsequent announcement of Churchill as champions of the I-League.
They dragged the matter to the Lausanne-based tribunal after AIFF’s appeals committee, the highest internal judicial systems of the federation, rejected their appeal for three points and a +3 goal difference from their away clash against Namdhari FC on January 13 in Ludhiana.
The appeals committee also announced Churchill as champions with 40 points from 22 matches, one more than Kashi, who had argued that Namdhari fielded an ‘ineligible’ player (Cledson Carvalho da Silva) in the clash at Sri Bhaini Sahib on way to a 2-0 win.
Kashi’s initial complaint was upheld by the AIFF’s disciplinary committee, which awarded them three points and a +2 goal difference, deeming Namdhari to have forfeited the match. The verdict was challenged at the appeals committee, which had initially issued a stay order before overturning it all together on April 19.
The league concluded on April 6 without a designated winner, with the AIFF announcing that Churchill were on top of the standings “provisionally” while also explaining how a favourable judgement at the appeals committee could make Kashi champions.
Four yellow cards
Since AIFF’s statutes identify CAS as the external appellate authority and the final arbiter in sporting matters, Kashi thought it prudent not to drag the matter into Indian civil courts.
Their action is in contrast to Churchill, Namdhari, Delhi FC and Real Kashmir who have unitedly lodged a complaint against Kashi at the Delhi High Court over fielding an ‘ineligible’ player in matches against them, with a hearing scheduled on April 23.
Not only Kashi, Namdhari, Delhi and Churchill, Sporting Club Bengaluru have also lodged a similar complaint against Namdhari while Rajasthan United have sought action against Real Kashmir.
In their case filing with CAS, which had to be done within 21 days from receipt of the decision being appealed, Kashi have said that the Namdhari player (Cledson) had accumulated four yellow cards and hence was ineligible to play against them.
In its submissions, Kashi pointed out that Cledson’s yellow cards against Delhi FC on November 23, against Dempo SC on December 3, against Real Kashmir on December 15 and against Churchill on January 4 made him unavailable for Namdhari’s home game on Jan 13, News9 Sports can confirm.
🚨 CLUB STATEMENT 🚨#IndianFootball #ILeague #HarHarKashi #Kashi pic.twitter.com/zy3pFvHxrt
— Inter Kashi (@InterKashi) April 19, 2025
Procedure and time
Once an appeal is filed, CAS usually decides to appoint arbitrators either under ‘Ordinary Arbitration Division’ or ‘Appeals Arbitration Division’. For appeals, the panel is typically composed of three arbitrators: one appointed by each party, and a president chosen by agreement or by CAS.
After receipt of statement of appeal, the respondent (AIFF, Namdhari) is expected to file their answer within 20 days, addressing the appellant’s (Kashi’s) arguments, evidence, and request relief.
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.”
Inter Kashi had moved to CAS after AIFF’s appeals committee rejected their appeals of three points against Namdhari FC and declared Churchill Brothers as I-League champions Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
