FIFA has suspended the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect due to “undue influence from third parties”, world soccer’s governing body said on Monday.
The suspension also means that the Under-17 Women’s World Cup, which was scheduled to be held in India from October 11 to 30, cannot take place in the country as planned.
India’s Supreme Court dissolved the AIFF in May and appointed a three-member committee to govern the sport, amend the AIFF constitution and hold elections that have been pending for 18 months.
In response, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation sent a team led by AFC General Secretary Windsor John to meet with Indian football stakeholders and lay out a plan for the AIFF to amend its constitution by the end of July and then conclude elections by September at the latest. 15.
“The suspension will be lifted once the order establishing the Committee of Administrators to take over the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee is lifted and the AIFF administration regains full control over the day-to-day affairs of the AIFF,” FIFA said in a statement on Monday.
Earlier this month, an Indian court ordered an early election and said the elected committee would be a temporary body for a period of three months.
The AIFF elections, previously chaired by FIFA Council member Praful Patel, were due to be held by December 2020, but were postponed due to the impasse over changes to its constitution.
“FIFA is in constant constructive contact with the Indian Ministry of Youth and Sports and hopes that a positive outcome can be achieved,” FIFA added.
According to FIFA’s constitution, member federations must be free from legal and political interference in their respective countries. FIFA has previously suspended other national associations for similar cases.
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