AIFF Appeal Committee's decision on Inter Kashi shifts I-League 2024-25 positions for Churchill Brothers, Namdhari & Real Kashmir

This decision results in a four-point deduction for Inter Kashi.

The All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) appeal committee has reversed a prior committee decision thereby ruling the decision in the favour of Churchill Brothers, Namdhari FC and Real Kashmir in their dispute against Inter Kashi. The final order, which was passed on Saturday, overturned the league committee’s earlier decision that had allowed Mario Barco to be registered as a replacement for another overseas player.

The AIFF appeal committee had previously rejected Inter Kashi’s protest against Namdhari FC concerning the alleged use of an ‘ineligible’ player. This specific ruling had a significant impact, as it led to Churchill Brothers being declared the provisional champions of the I-League.

However, Inter Kashi hadn’t accepted this ruling. They’ve challenged the decision at the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where the final decision of the I-League 2024-25 title remains pending.

The AIFF Appeals Committee said the order passed by AIFF’s competitions committee on February 21, 2025, will be applied, issuing the following decision.

The appeals are decided in favour of Appellant clubs and against the Respondent club by issuing the following directions:

A. The order passed by the AIFF Competitions Committee dated 05.02.2025 shall remain operative, the same is quoted below:

We have received the Foreign Player Replacement Request from your club via the CMS for the I-League 2024-25 season. However, upon review, we regret to inform you that the request does not comply with Clause 6.5.7 of the I-League Regulations 2024-25.

The Participating Players can only be replaced with another within the time as notified by the AIFF and not beyond the same. As the player being proposed for replacement, Mario Barco Vilar, had previously been replaced due to injury, he is considered unavailable for the rest of the season as per the regulations.

Therefore, he cannot be used to replace any other foreign player currently registered in your squad. As a result, the replacement request cannot be approved, as it fails to meet the regulatory requirements

As per the clause, A participating club may replace a foreign player with another foreign player up to three times in the competition, only in cases of injury, illness, or mutual contract termination

B. The result is that the AIFF Competitions Department has disapproved on 05.02.2025 for re-registration of Mario Barco. The AIFF League Committee order dated 15.02.2025 being non-est is quashed.

C. In view of the above the impugned orders dated 28.04.2025/29.04.2025 passed by the AIFF Disciplinary Committee are quashed.

D. As a result, of the Disapproval of AIFF Competitions Committee on 05.02.2025 the consequences shall follow.

In the order, appeal committee chairperson Rajesh Tandon confirmed that the decision was made with the agreement of Shri Ashok Tripathi and Smt. Priyanka Mishra.

The changes in the I- League 2024-25 standings

Earlier, Churchill Brothers had 40 points from 22 matches, just one point more than Inter Kashi, while Real Kashmir was third with 37 points.

Following Saturday’s decision, Inter Kashi will have four points deducted, while Churchill Brothers will gain two points, and Namdhari FC will be awarded an additional three points. This recalculation would mean that Churchill Brothers will now stand at 42 points, securing their position as champions regardless of Inter Kashi’s appeal at the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Consequently, Inter Kashi will drop to 37 points, and Namdhari will jump to 35 points.

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