Former India goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey files nomination for AIFF President election

The deadline to file nominations for the polls was August 19, 1 pm.

Former India goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey has filed his nomination for the post of AIFF President. The 45-year-old, who represented both Kolkata giants in club football, is currently a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician from Kolkata.

Chaubey filed his nomination early on Friday, which was the deadline day to file nominations for contesting the AIFF election. He is backed by the Gujarat State Football Association. While the footballer-turned-politician is among the first to file his nomination, he could soon be joined by a few others, Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia among them.

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Several State FA presidents are also likely to throw their hats in the ring. IFA president Ajit Banerjee, who is also the brother of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Shaji Prabhakaran (Delhi FA president) and NA Haris (Karnataka FA president) are also expected to file their nominations for the AIFF presidency. Ajit Banerjee replaces IFA chairman and former AIFF vice-president Subrata Dutta, whose nomination was rejected by the returning officer Umesh Sinha.

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About Kalyan Chaubey

A graduate of the Tata Football Academy (TFA), Chaubey went on to represent the Indian national team in various age groups before eventually making his senior debut. At the club level, the goalkeeper represented some of India's top clubs in Salgaocar FC, JCT Phagwara, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

He also worked with the Mohun Bagan academy between 2011 and 2013. In 2015, Chaubey joined the BJP and contested elections from Maniktala, Kolkata.

Interestingly, the nominations to contest the AIFF election come at a time when India is serving a suspension by FIFA. The world football governing body banned the AIFF for undue third-party interference. It has also asserted that eminent players cannot be part of the electoral college. Although players have filed their nominations based on the draft constitution prepared by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA).

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