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The majority of the I-League clubs’ officials joined hands to safeguard their interests in Indian football after it was learnt from reports that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) might declare the Indian Super League (ISL) as the top league in the country in an Executive Committee meeting to be held on July 3. In a recent development, the current I-League champions Chennai City FC have written a letter to the AIFF requesting them for an invitation to the Executive Committee either collectively (I-League clubs) or individually as the current champions of the I-League.
Officials of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Minerva Punjab FC, Churchill Brothers FC, Gokulam Kerala, NEROCA FC and Aizawl FC met in New Delhi on Monday to discuss their future course of action in response to AIFF’s decision to displace the I-League as the top division league in the country. Chennai City FC seems to have lent a hand of support to their cause, even though they were not present in the meeting.
Not only that, Chennai City FC are yet to receive its prize money of 1 crore even after 3 months after they were crowned as the champions of the I-League. The letter also states that the club is open to discussion with the National Federation and the Commercial Rights holders to understand the proposed structure ahead for Indian Football.
For the past two years, the ISL and the I-League have been running simultaneously. Even though the Indian Super League has been given more attention, the I-League till now is the most prestigious league in India.
As per previous reports, 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.
