CoA had agreed to conduct AIFF elections without 'eminent players' as per FIFA's wish: Sources

FIFA ban, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) running football in India had agreed to hold AIFF's elections without giving voting rights to 'eminent' players as per the world body's wish. In a massive setback for the country, the FIFA on Tuesday suspended India for "undue influence from third parties" and said the U-17 Women's World Cup "cannot currently be held in India as planned." The country is scheduled to host the FIFA event from October 11-30.

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The Centre on Tuesday sought urgent hearing in the Supreme Court on the All India Football Federation matter in the wake of FIFA suspending India for "undue influence from third parties" and stripping the country of the right to host the Under-17 Women's World Cup.

Sources privy to the developments said the ban could be short as the Supreme Court-appointed CoA had agreed to "almost all" of FIFA's demands regarding the elections and the new constitution, and hence, the U-17 Women's World Cup could still be held in India. "The feeling in official circles is that the ban could be short and elections can go ahead not on August 28 but before September 15 (the FIFA deadline)," a top source told PTI on the condition of anonymity. "The CoA has agreed to it as per FIFA's wishes. "In this scenario, the FIFA U-17 women's World Cup can also be saved." It has been learnt that the CoA was not expecting the FIFA ban at this stage as it had agreed to fulfil the world governing body's requirements. The country's football fraternity is now awaiting the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing on Wednesday. The Union government had, on July 28, given its approval to signing of guarantees for