Goa FA President lodges complaint against senior AIFF official after concerning performances of Indian national team & more

The letter accused the AIFF official of several political manipulations in the federation.

In a letter to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the President of the Goa Football Association and a member of the AIFF League Committee, Dr. Caitano Jose Fernandes, lodged an complaint against a senior official from the.

In the letter written to the AIFF President, the Executive Committee, a copy of which is possessed by Khel Now, Dr. Fernandes accused the senior official of engaging in “political manipulations” and misgovernance, alleging that these actions led to the “downfall of the Indian national football team.“

The Blue Tigers have delivered a thoroughly underwhelming performance. From going goalless in the AFC Asian Cup 2024 campaign to succumbing to relatively lower-ranked teams like Hong Kong, India’s hopes of making it to the AFC Asian Cup 2027 look bleak.

In the letter, the Goan Football Association President accused the senior official of the following charges.

Declining performance of the Indian National Football Team

The Blue Tigers faced humiliation in the AFC Asian Cup 2024. After India won just a solitary game in the Second Round, the Blue Tigers failed to qualify for the next round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.

India also recently faced back-to-back defeats against Hong Kong and Thailand. Dr. Fernandes alleged that the reduced financial support from the Government and his poor leadership had adversely affected the national team’s performance at the continental stage.

The letter read, “His divisive politics extend beyond Member Associations, disrupting AIFF staffoperations and hindering long-term national football growth. The alarming decline of the National Team performances across all age groups and genders, including the Senior Team, must be introspected, and someone at the top needs to be made accountable for this mess.”

Political manipulation in the federation

Dr. Fernandes also alleged that the senior official had a big role to play in the departure of two AIFF Secretary Generals- Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran and Mr. Anil Kumar in the last two years.

“In both instances, he played an instrumental role in their removal, ensuring their exit to further his personal ambition of controlling AIFF operations. His political manoeuvring has destabilized AIFF’s leadership structure, negatively impacting long-term development strategies,” the letter reads.

Unconstitutional suspension of I League relegation

Dr. Feranandes alleged that the said official disrupted the football administration in the federation by endorsing unconstitutional activities. He explained how the AIFF Appeals Committee halted I-League relegation, an action that was beyond the jurisdiction of the committee.

The letter states, “As per AIFF statutes, only the League Committee, Executive Committee or General Body has authority over such policy decisions. AIFF Secretariat’s mismanagement and questionable governance approach pose a serious threat to the football administration.”

AIFF Secretariat’s interference in League Committee decisions

The Goan Football Association President alleged that the AIFF Appeals Committee, influenced by the AIFF Secretariat, overturned the AIFF League Committee’s decision in regards to Inter Kashi’s foreign player replacement in the league.

The letter states, “The League Committee’s decision had already been approved by the AIFF Executive Committee, yet the Appeal Committee, influenced by the AIFF Secretariat, disregarded the governance protocol.”

AIFF mismanagement threatens international reputation

Dr. Feranandes cautioned the AIFF to be wary of the misgovernance and legal contradictions carried out, which could seriously malign the federation’s image. He stated how the AIFF Secretariat allowed the registration of a player and took a U-turn on its own approval.

The letter says, “As we understand, this is challenged before the Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS), AIFF risks international embarrassment, exposing its misgovernance and lack of institutional consistency.”

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.