Bhaichung Bhutia smells 'bargaining' in AIFF secretary general appointment, incumbent Shaji Prabhakaran rejects it

17.09.2022 - 15:03 timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Bhaichung Bhutia, who recently lost the All India Football Federation (AIFF) president's election, has questioned the appointment of Shaji Prabhakaran as its secretary general, saying that "choosing a voter to a salaried post will set a wrong precedent".

Prabhakaran, who was in the electoral college as a representative of Football Delhi, was made the AIFF secretary general a day after former India goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey beat Bhutia 33-1 in the polls for president's post on September 2.

Bhutia has requested the AIFF to include this issue of appointment of Prabhakaran raised by him in the agenda of Executive Committee meeting to be held in Kolkata on Monday.

Prabhakaran resigned as Football Delhi president on September 6, a day before he took charge as AIFF secretary general. Bhutia alleged that appointing a voter to a salaried post of the AIFF later on has an element of "bargaining". "He (Prabhakaran) was a voter and president of an association (Football Delhi), appointing him for a salaried post will set a wrong precedent," Bhutia told PTI on Saturday. "I would not have any issue had he been appointed to an honorary post.

Sporting Kalyan Chaubey India Delhi Kolkata

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