Minerva Punjab FC, formerly known as Minerva Academy FC have accused AIFF of denying them admission in the I-League, despite being the first in line for a promotion from the second division. The Chandigarh-based club, who finished second behind champions Dempo FC in I-League 2 (the second division of the Football League in India) in the 2015-16 season raised some serious questions in their letter to the AIFF.
Dempo FC were the only club to have been promoted according to the rules which govern the I-League season 2, which (at the moment) states that the winner of the second division gets direct entry to the first division (I-League). But, the Goa club subsequently pulled out citing “the high cost of fielding and maintaining a team in the I-League” amidst the uncertainty of the competition in the recent future as the reason for their exit.
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Subsequently and naturally, Minerva were the club next in line for promotion, but until now, the members of the hierarchy at the club have been baffled at having no official word from the AIFF regarding the promotion of the Punjab outfit. This prompted Ranjit Bajaj, the CEO of Minerva to appeal to the Secretary of the AIFF, Kushal Das.
“As per sector 2 article 18 of the second division I-League regulations, one team will be promoted to the second division of the I-League for the 2015-16 season. As winners of the 2nd division of the I-League, Dempo were all set to qualify to for the 2016-17 I-League, but since their withdrawal announcement we are the natural successors to this great honour”.
“We would request you to please promote Minerva as runners-up of the second division League, as guided by the regulations and is our natural and legal right ”, read the statement addressed to the AIFF.
You can find a copy of the letter here.
Minerva has also previously applied through the I-league tender issued by AIFF inviting new teams to participate in the I-league and the AIFF is all set to make its final announcement regarding the teams participating in the I-League on 11th December. Interestingly, the Chandigarh-based club are one of the few Indian clubs having an AFC Approved Stadium in Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana.
The I-League at the moment has eight teams who are confirmed to participate, which include Bengaluru FC, Churchill Brothers, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Shillong Lajong, Aizawl, DSK Shivajians and Mumbai FC. The AFC Regulations need nine teams for an official League to operate.
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