After Kerala, now J&K football fires stinker to AIFF

Kerala State Football Association’s official complaint to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) last Friday over being bypassed in conducting the ongoing Santosh Trophy in the state’s Malappuram district, it’s now the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA) that has spoken out. Earlier this month, the association lodged an official protest over the AIFF organising and conducting the May 10-19th AFC Pro Diploma Course (Module 1) at Srinagar without its knowledge or consent.

The JKFA had further demanded that the module be deferred or cancelled. This latest embarrassment to the AIFF caused by its office bearers at Football House led them to hastily shift the venue of the course to Chandigarh, but not before it faced more egg on its face with the ‘resignation’ of AIFF Technical Director and Head of Coach Education, Savio Mederia over the issue last week.

As part of the damage control, on Sunday, the media wing of the AIFF swiftly tweeted an official communication that the former 1990-2000s India midfielder and SAFF Cup-winning coach had not put in his papers and was still in his job but federation insiders claim that Medeira, miffed at being made the scapegoat for the officials’ goof up over choice of venue, had indeed mailed his official resignation to Football House. Medeira has been silent on the issue.

In an April 5, 2022 letter (JAKFA/10216-20) to AIFF president Praful Patel, the JKFA quoted a March 30 correspondence by Aman Dubey, Coordinator Coach Education & Grassroots, AIFF, where they were intimated of the Pro-Licencing Course scheduled at Srinagar’s TRC Football Stadium from May 10-19th. “They have scheduled the course under the aegis of Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council without the knowledge of JKFA,” the