Third party influence leads to India ban by FIFA, affirms U17 women's World Cup cannot be held as planned

New Delhi: In a major setback and embarrassment for the country, world football governing body 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 its first FIFA event from October 11-30.

This is the first time the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been banned by FIFA in its 85 year history.

"The Bureau of the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to suspend the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes," the FIFA said in a statement.

"The suspension will be lifted once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been repealed and the AIFF administration regains full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs." "The suspension means that the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2022, scheduled to take place in India on 11-30 October 2022, cannot currently be held in India as planned. FIFA is assessing the next steps with regard to the tournament and will refer the matter to the Bureau of the Council if and when necessary.

A ban on India was on the cards after the Supreme Court removed Praful Patel as AIFF president on May 18 for not holding elections due in December 2020.

The court had appointed a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA), headed by former apex court judge AR Dave, to manage the affairs of the national federation.

The CoA, which has former Chief Commissioner of India SY Quraishi and ex India captain Bhaskar Ganguly as other members, also had to frame its constitution in line with the National Sports Code and model guidelines.

The FIFA has never allowed third party interference in the affairs of its member units whether by the court or the government. It has set up normalisation committees in various countries in cases similar to India.

FIFA, though, has kept a window open for India, saying it is in touch with the sports ministry on the issue.

"FIFA is in constant constructive contact with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India and is hopeful that a positive outcome to the case may still be achieved," it said.

Following the ban, the fate of the AIFF elections, to be held on August 28 on the orders of the Supreme is not yet known.

The poll process began on August 13 as the top court approved the time-line prepared by the Committee of Administrators (CoA).

The CoA has already appointed a returning officers and has published the electoral college for the elections, including 36 eminent players in the list. The filing of nominations is to start from Wednesday till Friday.

India's football fraternity is hoping that a last-minute solution will salvage the FIFA under-17 women's world cup when the Supreme Court hears the matter on Wednesday.

The sports ministry had filed an application in the Supreme Court, seeking a modification to its August 5 order that allowed 36 eminent players to vote in the AIFF elections on the grounds that the world body was not in favour of 'individual membership' in the AIFF.

According to sources, FIFA re-iterated its stand to the sports ministry on Monday and issued the statement to ban India after that (around 10pm Swiss local time; wee hours on Tuesday in India).

The Supreme Court on August 3 directed the executive committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to expeditiously hold elections as per the schedule proposed by the CoA.