Sports minister calms nerves, tells clubs leagues will happen

According to sources, the AIFF and sports ministry could offer a short-term solution in organisation of the leagues for this season, a move that will provide them with enough time to find a suitable commercial partner for the long term
Panaji: Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya has assured all stakeholders in Indian football that the leagues, despite the delay, will happen this season, but with time running out, everyone continues to be on their toes. Indian football is facing an unprecedented crisis with a huge question mark over the season. Normally kicking off in September, the leagues are nowhere close to starting. The All India Football Federation’s efforts to find a new commercial partner for the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL) through a tender also drew a blank. “The sports minister told all of us that the leagues will happen,” a senior club official told TOI after the joint meeting of all stakeholders with the sports minister in the Capital on Wednesday. Six separate meetings were held at the headquarters of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in the Capital. The concluding meeting saw officials from ISL, I-League clubs, lower divisioners, marketing partners FSDL, multiple broadcasters, OTT platforms, and representatives of accounting firm KPMG – who drafted the request for proposal (RFP) – all in attendance. According to sources, the AIFF and sports ministry could offer a short-term solution in organisation of the leagues for this season, a move that will provide them with enough time to find a suitable commercial partner for the long term. “The leagues will happen this season, no doubt about that. But there is no denying that there are challenges, particularly with the clauses in the new Constitution which were not part of Justice Nageswara Rao’s discussion with FIFA and AFC (when the draft Constitution was submitted to the Supreme Court). It was explained to the sports minister that the clauses are creating hindrances,” said one source who was present at the meeting. Speaking on behalf of the ISL clubs, FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur told the sports minister that the Constitution needs to be amended for a commercial partner to come on board. Solutions, he said, should be long term, though a short-term fix as a pilot for the long term would also be acceptable. “The clubs have to be involved in the process. We are after all the biggest spenders and important stakeholders,” said Puskur. I-League clubs have demanded a pyramid structure with the same commercial partner for all leagues. Promotion and relegation was another demand, while there were also calls to have a joint 20-team league, involving teams from the top two tiers. The sports ministry is now expected to submit a report to the Supreme Court later this week. During a hearing on Nov 21, solicitor general (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said that sports ministry would make every attempt to ensure ISL is held. The Supreme Court will hear the case again before Dec 9 when FSDL’s 15-year contract with the AIFF as commercial partners comes to an end.
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