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The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is set to declare the Indian Super League as the top division league in the country in an executive committee which is scheduled for the next month. Even though the ISL was the more glamorous league, it was the I-League which held the recognition of being the top division league in India till now. The I-League which has been hugely neglected and played second fiddle to the ISL will now face a struggle for existence.
According to a report, AIFF is ready to ‘honour’ the contract with IMG-Reliance which has a clause to make ISL the “most senior and prestigious football league in India”. The contract refers to a 15-year Master Rights Agreement (MRA) whose primary signatories were the AIFF and IMG-Reliance. Currently, it is constituted in the name of Reliance based Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), in which broadcaster Star India also holds stakes.
The clauses of the contract state that once it enforced, the Indian Super League (ISL) would become Indian football’s top division league, the position which was held by the I-League. Regarding the matter, AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said, “It’s in the contract (that ISL will be the top league). Initially, we felt that let the tournament happen and then we will see. After five years, we have to honour the contract. Let the executive committee decide.”
Another clause states that the I-League will be "reconstituted, replaced and/or discontinued (temporarily or permanently)". The AIFF has always regarded the I-League as its top league, but the relation with the clubs off-late has not been very favourable. The negligence shown towards the traditional league did not please the clubs.
Most of them boycotted the Super Cup earlier this year, for which a huge fine has been imposed on the clubs concerned. Whatever the situation might be, it cannot be denied that Indian Football cannot prosper without clubs like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Churchill Brothers who have a vast fan following and a rich history.
