FIFA GS Jérôme Valcke: IMG-R's Indian Super League needs to follow FIFA's rules & regulations

At the SpoBis conference in Düsseldorf last Tuesday I had the chance to interview the FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke. Besides speaking about the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in India, I also touched upon the issue of the IPL-style Indian Super League which IMG-Reliance wants to kick-off as a two month league in September 2014.

The following is what FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke said:

Firstly we are talking with them (Reliance Industries), also we are talking to IMG as you know they are working on the project.

You know that there are rules and regulations, and we will not change our regulations just for one country (in this case India). A league has to be played over a certain period of time, there should be relegation and promotion system, there should be a number of criteria which has to be done.

And I had a meeting with the owner of the company of Reliance (Mukesh Ambani). It was very clear that FIFA will not move away from its principles for just one country.

So again it is team work, but our main partner in India is the All India Football Federation. We have very good relationship with them. And I think again this Under-17 World Cup is really to showcase FIFA is interested and committed to develop football in India.

Clearly FIFA is not against the Indian Super League, but as FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke says, there are rules and regulations which India through the AIFF and its partners need to follow. But though not mentioned it is clear to me that if the I-League or the new Indian Super League is in future India’s top professional league is something for India and its football to decide. As long as they follow the rules and regulations of FIFA, everything is fine.

It sounds like homework for IMG-Reliance on the Indian Super League.

Here the audio clip of my interview with FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke!