The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is looking to the Supreme Court for a way ahead after the apex court-supervised bidding process for the commercial rights of the country’s No. 1 league failed to draw any bid.
“The Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) held a meeting on Sunday... to review and discuss the status of the ‘Request for Proposal (RFP) for Awarding the Right to Monetise the Commercial Rights Belonging to the All India Football Federation for a Limited Term,’” the AIFF said in a statement.
“Following the deliberations of the Committee, the Chairperson of the BEC, Justice (Retd.) L. Nageswara Rao will submit his report to the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India as the next step in the process.”
AIFF hopes Rao’s report and the Supreme Court’s subsequent observation will determine the future.
Player pens his pain
East Bengal midfielder Souvik Chakrabarti has reacted to the uncertainty that has shrouded Indian football.
“The failure of the ISL bid is not just a business setback. For me, it shows how deep the problems in Indian football governance really go. This is not only about one league. When the top tier of Indian football itself stands uncertain, it affects everything from grassroots to the national level,” Chakrabarti wrote on social media.
“I really hope the issue is resolved at the earliest, for the future of Indian football.”