New Delhi: Salgaocar SC and Sporting Clube de Goa - two top Goa-based clubs - withdrew from the I-League, protesting against the All India Football Federation (AIFF)'s decision to push the league to the background in an apparent attempt to promote the Indian Super League (ISL).

Sources said that another Goa outfit, Dempo, are also planning to pull out. As of now, seven clubs - Mahindra United, JCT, Pune FC, Bharat FC, Royal Wahingdoh, Salgaocar and Clube - have withdrawn from the I-League since 2010.

"It is clear that the proposal is highly discriminatory, goes against sporting merit, is unworkable for I-League clubs and hampers Goa, which is the best represented state in the I-League, the most," said a joint statement from Salgaocar and Sporting. "The Salgaocar club, more than 50 years old, will function as usual and play all other tournaments except the I-League," the managing director of the Salgaocar group of companies, Shivanand Salgaocar, told The Telegraph.

The AIFF general secretary, Kushal Das, said: "We along with our marketing partners have been very transparent, sharing our thoughts with all stakeholders regarding the way forward for Indian football. It was clearly stated that the shared draft was only a proposal."