AIFF considers Churchill Brothers’ request for relegation immunity from I-League

AIFF stated that the final decision on the club's participation in the next I-League season will be taken by the Emergency Committee.

REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided to consider Churchill Brothers’ request for relegation immunity from the I-League.

The League Committee meeting attended by chairman Subrata Dutta, AIFF general secretary Kushal Das and I-League CEO Sunanda Dhar, among others, has come to this decision on Tuesday.

Churchill Brothers has failed to survive the I-League drop last season after losing 0-1 to eventual champions Minerva FC.

Read: Bengaluru FC faces stiff challenge in 2nd leg against Altyn Asyr

The two-time former winner from Goa had finished ninth last season and with AIFF’s developmental squad Indian Arrows having relegation immunity, Churchill Brothers faced the axe.

“The Committee discussed the request of Churchill Brothers FC Goa to allow them in the Hero I-League next season which is slated to kick off in October this year.

“The Committee considered the request and after due deliberation, the Committee decided to place the issue further to the Emergency Committee which will take the final decision on a later date,” the AIFF said in a release.

It also said that the eleventh edition of the I-League will start in the last week of October.

The release added, “On basis of Shivajians’ plea, AIFF will go through with an academy accreditation inspection. As per the star-rating, they’ll be allowed to take part in the youth leagues next season.”

“AIFF is in a process to formulate a professional as well as an amateur player contract template which is to be circulated amongst the clubs. The same would be enforced in the next edition of league.”