AIFF's unhappy state associations ready to find 'middle ground'

FIFA ban. The state associations, represented by a seven-member panel, had written to the FIFA that several clauses of the final draft constitution, prepared by the Committee of Administrators (CoA), were discriminatory and illogical. The letter was written after the Supreme Court-appointed CoA, which is running the sport in the country, sent the final draft constitution to the FIFA and the state associations on July 13.

"We are ready for give and take. It is not that my way is the highway. We have to ensure that there is no ban from FIFA.

I hope every party will have to rise to the occasion for the good of Indian football," one of the state officials told PTI on the condition of anonymity. "We are hoping that things will get sorted out and deadlines set by FIFA are met. We can ill-afford a FIFA ban, we must avoid it." The CoA, which was constituted by the SC to draft a new constitution and hold elections to the AIFF executive committee, submitted the document to the top court on July 15.

The matter will come up for hearing on Thursday. A FIFA-AFC team, which had visited the country last month to take stock of the situation after the SC ousted the office bearers led by Praful Patel, had set strict deadlines to hold elections by September 15. It is learnt that the state associations have objections to more than 20 points out of which five to six are major ones.