Bhaichung Bhutia Says Legal Action An 'Option' As AIFF Turns Down Discussion Request Over Secretary General's Appointment

Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Monday said he might explore legal options after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) turned down his request for a discussion on the appointment of Shaji Prabhakaran as secretary general during the executive committee meeting here. 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 the president's post on September 2.

Bhutia had alleged that appointing a voter to a salaried post of the federation has an element of "bargaining". He had requested the AIFF to include the appointment of Prabhakaran in the agenda of executive committee meeting held here on Monday.

"I attended AIFF executive committee meeting today but my request for a discussion on Shaji's appointment as secretary general was turned down. I raised the issue, but they said they would focus on the agenda only and there would no discussion on that issue," Bhutia told PTI.

"I am very disappointed. I made the request two-three days in advance but it was not included in the agenda of the meeting." Asked if he will take legal recourse on the matter, Bhutia said, "That is an option I will keep. I will consult my people and decide on the future course of action." The 45-year-old Bhutia, Indian football's poster boy till his retirement in 2011, re-iterated his allegations of possible "bargaining" in the appointment of Prabhakaran, a former FIFA Regional Development Officer for South and Central Asia, as AIFF secretary general.

"He (Prabhakaran) was a voter in the AIFF elections, election agent of (Kalyan) Chaubey and president of an association (Football Delhi).