New Delhi: 

Delhi FC (14 points from 22 matches) and SC Bengaluru (21 points in 22 matches) had sought relief before the appeals committee from demotion citing AIFF’s Vision 2047 plan of of having 16 teams in the I-League and pointing to absence of relegation in the top-flight ISL.

Since there is no drop in the ISL, teams shouldn’t be forced to go down from the second division too, the I-League clubs had argued. The appeal was initially made to AIFF’s disciplinary committee, which directed it towards the appeals committee.

SCB have argued that Namdhari FC fielded an ‘ineligible’ player in a match against them. The player was suspended but no clarity on competition rules led to confusion and Namdhari fielded the player.

Not only promotion from the I-League, relegation from it also hung in balance now after the All Indian Football Federation’s appeal committee put a hold on demotion from the competition on Tuesday.

In a relief to Delhi FC and SC Bengaluru, who were set to go down as per regulations after finishing at the bottom two spots of 12-team competition, the appeal committee has stayed the process of relegation until it arrives at a final judgement.

“…the circumstances of the case warrant that any order passed for relegation shall remain in abeyance and shall not be acted upon till the final hearing of the appeals itself,” the five-member appeal committee, headed by retired Justice Rajesh Tandon, noted in its interim order.

Delhi FC and SCB also argued that any relegation by a proper and competent authority will amount to having serious penal consequences while challenging it initially before the disciplinary committee.

SCB have demanded three points from that match as per tournament rules, which would push Aizawl FC towards relegation.

“From a perusal of the order passed by the AIFF Disciplinary Committee it appears that it has overlooked the process of relegation in I-League 2024-25 where numerous past instances having been referred wherein the AIFF had itself waived the relegation.

Next hearing on May 30

The appeal committee has given the AIFF two days to file their objections on the matter and will hear it again on May 30.

“A copy of this order alongwith the appeal paperbook be sent to Aizawl FC so that they may participate in these proceedings incase they so desire,” the appeal committee noted.

Earlier, Inter Kashi had challenged the appeal committee’s verdict of announcing Churchill Brothers as the I-League champions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Delhi FC is also among four I-League clubs who had dragged Inter Kashi to the Delhi High Court over fielding an ‘ineligible’ player in matches against them.

CAS had put an interim stay order of the judgement and called for all parties, including the AIFF to present their submissions. A fresh date of hearing for the case is yet to be announced.

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