Baichung Bhutia, CoA favours reforms, Praful Patel says no interest in holding post in AIFF

Baichung Bhutia and the Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Monday told the Supreme Court that the reform process in the national football body AIFF should be allowed to continue despite threats from FIFA. The Centre told the top court that Bhutia is a legend in football like Sachin Tendulkar or Sunil Gavaskar is in Cricket and it is considering a bigger role for him due to his contribution to Indian Football and the government would request him that what he is aiming for in AIFF (post of President) may not be appropriate to his stature.

Bhutia, who has moved the top court saying that the draft constitution of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) prepared by CoA should be adopted said that though he has played over 100 matches for India over the period of 10 years in the present situation prevailing in the national football body, does not know whether he will be able to get into the administration of football in this country. The top court also asked for an interim and final report of the forensic audit of AIFF, which allegedly indicated larger scale siphoning and defalcation of funds by the Praful Patel-led management committee to be submitted to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and orally directed it to proceed under law.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, to look into the proposal of considering Bhutia for some appropriate position as per his stature in football administration. Advocate Raghenth Basant, appearing for Bhutia, said that his only concern is to remove the vested interest prevailing in the football administration in the country.