Praful Patel Had “Arranged” FIFA Letter On Indian Football Ban After Illegally Occupying President Post Says Supreme Court Mandated Panel As AIFF Is Suspended

Praful Patel Had “Arranged” FIFA Letter On Indian Football Ban After Illegally Occupying President Post Says Supreme Court Mandated Panel As AIFF Is Suspended

Ex-football chief Praful Patel ‘arranged’ FIFA letter on India ban says SC-mandated panel, as Indian football gets banned by the football governing body, have a look 

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been suspended with immediate effect, FIFA, the world’s governing body of football, announced on Tuesday. The decision was made unanimously by the FIFA Council Bureau. The choice was made as a result of improper interference from outside parties, which is a significant breach of the FIFA Statutes.

Praful Patel Had “Arranged” FIFA Letter On Indian Football Ban After Illegally Occupying President Post For 14 Years Says Supreme Court Mandated Panel As AIFF Is Suspended

Ex-football chief Praful Patel ‘arranged’ FIFA letter on India ban: SC-mandated panel | Sports News,The Indian Express from IndianFootball

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A FIFA press release that was given to the media, read:

The Bureau of the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to suspend the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.”

The body further stated that the suspension would be removed as soon as the order to form a committee of administrators to exercise the authority of the AIFF Executive Committee had been revoked and the AIFF administration had reclaimed complete control over the organization’s day-to-day operations.

Meanwhile, the CoA has asked the court to prevent Patel from “holding any football related posts forthwith, including and not limited to positions in FIFA and AFC”, where he now serves as a Vice-President and Executive Council member, respectively. As per a report by The Indian Express, Supreme Court will probably hear the Committee of Administrators’ contempt petition on Thursday.

Ex-football Chief Praful Patel ‘arranged’ FIFA Letter On India Ban Says SC-mandated Panel

A Committee of Directors (CoA) appointed by the Supreme Court of India filed a contempt petition against former Indian soccer chief and NCP leader Praful Patel on Wednesday, accusing him of “impliedly” admitting to having “organised” a letter from Asian Soccer Confederation (AFC) and world soccer governing body FIFA threatening a ban on India.

The CoA has asked the court to prevent Patel from holding any soccer-related offices going forward, including and never limited to positions in FIFA and AFC where he currently serves as a Vice-President and a member of the Governing Council, respectively.

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Patel isn’t the only Indian soccer executive the CoA has identified in its petition for allegedly interfering with “administration of justice, and the willful and flagrant disobedience” of Supreme Court rulings. The lawsuit also names seven additional Indian soccer directors.

The COA’s petition statement read:

What’s worse, and which is the first trigger for the current Contempt Petition, is the persevering with central function of Mr Praful Patel, ex-President of AIFF, who has impliedly admitted to having organized for the letter from FIFA-AFC, and has performed a gathering of the 35 Intervening Member Associations on 06.08.2022 with the categorical goal of interfering with the proceedings of his Hon’ble Court docket.”

Patel was described as saying the following in the petition’s transcript of the meeting:

My feeling is, please belief me… See, I can say solely so many issues, I can not converse every part however I can say this a lot, the aim of that letter can also be that will help you.”

According to the transcript, various state affiliation members praised Patel, who then advised the officers on their next course of action and stated that he “didn’t need India to get suspended.”

Patel couldn’t be reached for comment on the petition’s text. The issue, as well as other petitions related to the case, is scheduled to be discussed by the supreme court on Thursday.

The CoA’s plea comes after the FIFA and AFC threatened to drop India from international soccer and withdraw hosting rights for this year’s U17 Women’s World Cup due to alleged “deviations” from the timeline agreed upon to conduct the AIFF elections in a letter dated August 5.

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