If FIFA bans AIFF, Indian players will lose more than just game time. What kind of impact will the suspension have on the Indian economy?

If FIFA bans AIFF, Indian players will lose more than just game time. What kind of impact will the suspension have on the Indian economy?

According to FIFA, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was suspended on August 16 which was because of meddling from “third parties.”

FIFA bans AIFF for a reason and that current wave of problems for Indian football began when Praful Patel, the last AIFF president and a member of the FIFA council, refused to step down from his position as the country’s football administrator. He cited the ongoing pandemic and legal battle involving the AIFF constitution as justifications for continuing to perform. The SC also took a decision to appoint a Committee of Administrators (COA) to manage the AIFF. With the creation of this COA, the strained relationship with FIFA ultimately led to the beginning of ban 

FIFA bans AIFF which will have an influence on India’s ability to compete in international games and tournaments, but it will not affect domestic contests.

Those who would suffer the most are those young athletes who were excited to compete in the World Cup. Some of them are given below:

• Gokulam Kerala women’s team endures hardship

As a result of the judgment, Gokulam Kerala’s women’s squad is no longer able to compete in the AFC Women’s Club Championship. To play the local team Sogdiana – W and the Iranian team Bam Khatoon, the team has already gone to Uzbekistan.

The games were scheduled for August 23 through August 26. Thus, the Indian champions’ chances of winning the continent have now been dashed!

• The AFC Cup campaign of ATK Mohun Bagan

ATK Mohun Bagan will experience the same fate which Gokulam Kerala faced. The Mariners were prepared to compete in their AFC Cup Inter-Zonal playoffs, which were scheduled to take place in Kolkata during the first week of September. FIFA has noted in the statement that the suspension will be removed if the order to form up an administrative committee to take over the AIFF Executive Committee’s authority has been revoked and the AIFF administration has regained full control of the nation’s daily business.

• Registration of international athletes

From this point, no Indian club will be allowed to sign up international players. The club has to enter any new foreign players it signs into the TMS (Transfer Matching System). This aids in a more efficient and open transfer process. Due to the fact that the Indian players are members of the same institution, the suspension will not affect internal transfers. A player from another Member’s Association will not be allowed to participate in the process.

India has to postpone hosting the tournament in 2020 due to the Covid outbreak. It was given the chance to participate because it was the host.

The professional football team Gokulam Kerala FC, headquartered in the state of Kerala, made history by becoming the first Indian club to compete in the coveted Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Club Championship last year.

For this year’s competition, which will start this week, the team arrived in Uzbekistan on Tuesday. The team tweeted a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, stating that the players are “grounded in Tashkent” and asking him to step in and resolve the situation.

Players with international experience, including Bala Devi and Aditi Chauhan, have gained a following in India and are improving the standard of sport there.

However, the prohibition can have an impact on this and lower the spirit of gamers.

In India, there are more than 23 million football fans, according to a recent survey by the media consultancy company Ormax. States with indigenous clubs, like Kerala and West Bengal, enjoy tremendous popularity for the sport.

Effects of the suspension on the Indian economy

This information unequivocally shows how national players are losing out on playing time and opportunities to take part in upcoming events. FIFA’s decision to ban AIFF has an adverse effect on the economy plus the games and match time because a major part of the money used to fund grassroots sports development comes straight from FIFA.

According to information gathered, during the last three years, FIFA is said to have granted grants worth USD 3 million. This money is used by the AIFF to expand regional soccer around the country. If the ban persists, the AIFF might lose grants totaling USD 500,000 annually. AIFF insider claimed that FIFA presently compensates its member states in kind rather than cash, for example by building artificial turf or by providing footballs, jerseys, and other equipment.

In a letter to the interim general secretary of the AIFF, FIFA stated that two important issues needed to be resolved before the ban could be lifted. First, the COA’s mandate would have to be entirely repealed. Second, the government would have to regain complete authority over the daily operations of the AIFF.

FIFA further stated in the letter that it wants the AIFF constitution modified in conformity with FIFA and the AFC’s standards. The letter further stated that the AIFF election should be held using the current AIFF membership structures, which are purely based on state associations.

In essence, it will contrast the SC’s decision with FIFA’s wishes. FIFA will insist that all of its requests be fulfilled in order for the suspension to be removed, a group that has in the past suspended nations for much less serious outside interference. A resolution to these issues will be required, perhaps in court or at a later date.

edited and proofread by nikita sharma