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After the ominous prospect of FIFA suspending the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was manifested, Gokulam Kerala FC Women emerged as one of the Indian clubs to immediately bear the brunt of the decision.
The Indian Women's League (IWL) champions booked a berth in the AFC Women’s Club Championship. When FIFA announced the ban in the early hours of August 16, the Malabarians were in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and were set to travel to Qarshi for their first group stage match on August 23.
On Tuesday evening (August 16), however, the club were informed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) that with the AIFF suspended, Gokulam Kerala will no longer be eligible to take part in the competition. A letter stating the same was sent by the continental body to the Indian federation as well.
The team are still in Tashkent and an official said they are likely to be given further direction by the AFC on Wednesday, August 17.
Meanwhile, Gokulam Kerala FC CEO Ashok Kumar, in a letter, requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his office to intervene in the ongoing AIFF proceedings and revoke the suspension.
Although the competition starts on August 20, the Malabarians are slated to play their first match of the tournament against FC Sogdiana on August 23. If the ban isn't upturned by or before that date, it could be a premature end to Gokulam's Asian campaign.
Furthermore, the club's CEO underlined in a letter to the PM that the girls have been preparing for the continental competition for the last 60 days and failing to even make an appearance in the tournament would squash their morale.
"Our club's women's football team consisting of 23 players with an average age of 21 got grounded at Tashkent with disappointment coupled with distress as our preparations both mentally and physically went awry," Kumar wrote.
The club official requested the PMO to look into the matter and give Gokulam Kerala a lifeline to participate in the AFC Women’s Club Championship.
The hopes of the Malabarians participating in the continental tournament now hang by a thread.
