AIFF elections to be held by September end, says Qureshi

Dr. S. Y. Qureshi says officials from FIFA and AFC will visit India on June 11 to meet with the CoA to understand the ongoing situation within the AIFF.

Qureshi says apprehensions over a FIFA suspension on India from international competitions will be dispelled.

The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) member Dr. S. Y. Qureshi said a new All India Football Federation (AIFF) constitution will be in place by the end of September.

“The election process will take six to eight weeks to complete. Then by the end of September, a newly elected body should be in position,” said Qureshi, the former Chief Election Commissioner.

The CoA will submit its draft modifications on July 15 to the top court before the next hearing on July 21. Qureshi said, “Hopefully we will have a newly approved constitution. We will then immediately start the process of elections and finish it as soon as possible. After that our work will be over. We don’t want to stay longer.”

ALSO READ - East Bengal finds new investor in Emami Group

Former Indian football team captain Bhaskar Ganguly and Justice (retd) A. R. Dave are the other members of the CoA.

Qureshi said that a FIFA and AFC team will visit India on June 11 to meet with the CoA to understand the ongoing situation within the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

“The two members from FIFA and AFC will be here on June 11, before the CoA has its first physical meeting on June 8. We will get together and we will try to understand their concerns and we will share with them what has happened in court,” said Qureshi.

‘Well-meaning people’

Qureshi said apprehensions over a FIFA suspension on India from international competitions will be dispelled, stating the CoA wants to ‘work very closely’ with the world football body.

“Mr [Praful] Patel has written to the FIFA, explaining to them the perspective (behind the court-ordered move), so as to dispel the apprehensions. After that, if they have any doubts, they should disappear. Any remaining doubts should be covered if they met us physically, and that we are a group of well-meaning people. We expect full co-operation from FIFA and we will extend the same to them,” said Qureshi.

Qureshi expects no hindrance to football activities in the meantime. “We want to ensure a smooth running of the complete schedule for next one year for competitions and training programme, that is what we are looking at. If we find any suspicion in the financial arena, it will be flagged and CoA will look into it,” he said.