AIFF Media Team

ITANAGAR: The All India Football Federation held its Executive Committee meeting on Sunday, March 10, 2024, followed by the Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Pema Khandu, who is also the President of the state football association, attended the meeting.

The AIFF President Mr. Kalyan Chaubey chaired the Executive Committee meeting in the presence of Vice President Mr. N.A. Haris, Treasurer Mr. Kipa Ajay, Acting Secretary General Mr. M. Satyanarayan, and the members of the Committee.

After the completion of the Executive Committee meeting, the AIFF Annual General Body Meeting was held in the presence of representatives from various Member State Associations, other stakeholders and representatives from FIFA and AFC with Mr. Chaubey in the chair.

Mr. Chaubey said, “The way the 77th NFC for Santosh Trophy Final was conducted yesterday, was one of a kind. The ambiance and support we saw from the stands was absolutely amazing. I truly felt that the Santosh Trophy’s popularity has risen to greater heights in the last couple of years.

“When football in the Northeast comes up for discussion, we mainly think about Manipur and Mizoram. But now, Arunachal has joined the team as the third force, hand in hand with their two other brothers from the Northeast.”

The AIFF President pointed out that in several places in India, multipurpose stadiums are used for hosting football matches, forcing the spectators to watch the action from a distance. Mr. Chaubey, himself a former footballer, said that in modern football stadiums world over, the spectators watch the matches from close range. Hence, there is a need for stadiums exclusively for football in India.

The Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister said that his government was planning to build a stadium here dedicated solely to football.

The Executive Committee and the General Body held detailed discussions on the AIFF budget and passed it for the 2024–25 financial year.

Acting Secretary General M. Satyanarayan, said, “We have presented a balanced budget for the financial year 2024-25. We also must work hard to expand the game, increasing the number of tournaments, and resource development.”

The House took up discussions on the current state of Indian refereeing and the possible introduction of VAR (Video Assistant Referee). The AIFF Chief Refereeing Officer, while submitting his report and pointing out that 85 percent of on-pitch refereeing decisions are proving to be correct in the current season, also held discussions with five reputed agencies specialised in VAR.

Based on the report, a presentation on VAR was made in front of the members, who felt that it was not impossible to introduce the advanced system in the Indian Super League from the next season on a no-cost-to-the-AIFF basis. The members were informed that there would be further discussions on this issue in the first week of May.

Both the Executive Committee and the General Body expressed anguish at the way personal attacks have been made against senior AIFF officials, especially the President, from certain quarters.

The members felt that the attacks were not only personal against the Federation President but also an outright insult to every member of the Federation and the AIFF in general. Taking note of this, the House passed a resolution calling this attack motivated and done with definite malicious intent. The members also expressed wonder at the fact that these attacks have been launched intentionally in the last six weeks, from the Executive Committee meeting in New Delhi on January 30, leading to the AGM in Itanagar, on March 10, 2024. They felt that this was in absolutely poor taste and has caused serious damage to the progress of Indian Football.

The members of the Executive Committee and the General Body welcomed two of its newest members into the AIFF family after the Ladakh Football Association and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were approved as full members of the national federation.

After detailed discussions, the Executive Committee and the General Body decided to give the go-ahead to the proposed FSDL-AIFF-IndiGo agreement. The members were of the opinion that the MoU on this issue that could be agreed upon, would immensely help in lifting the brand value of Indian Football.

The Executive Committee and the General Body passed a resolution that, in the future, only honorary members of the AIFF would be nominated for different committees and standing committees of the continental and world bodies, provided it is approved by the Executive Committee.

The members of the Executive Committee and the General Body unanimously expressed happiness over the conduct of the 77th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy in Itanagar, and the production that was streamed live on FIFA+ as well as Arunachal Pradesh Football Association’s YouTube channel.

The members condoled the death of Hardevsinh Jadeja, the former Treasurer and Executive Committee member of the AIFF.