The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has categorically asked the state football associations and the affiliated clubs not to collaborate by any means with the Futsal Association of India (FAI) for the Premier Futsal league, scheduled for a July 15 start this year. The governing body of Indian football also added that the FAI is a non-recognised body.
The likes of Virat Kohli and 'Pele of Futsal' Falcao, as well as Portugal football great Luis Figo, are associated with the first-of-its-kind futsal league in India. While fans are excited for the event to launch, the AIFF is visibly disappointed and are also contemplating taking legal action against the Futsal body of India, IANS reports.
"The AIFF is the governing body for all forms of football, including futsal, in India and we will be announcing our plans, in relation to futsal, in due course," AIFF general secretary Kushal Das mentioned in a letter addressed to the state football associations in the country.
"This is to bring to your notice that AIFF is not involved with the proposed Premier Futsal league, the news of launch of which has been making rounds in media in the recent past. The competition is neither sanctioned by AIFF nor is organised under the aegis of the AIFF. Further, the organising body - Futsal Association of India (FAI) is not a member or affiliated in any way with the AIFF, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) or FIFA.
"As members of AIFF, all state associations are to comply with the statutes and regulations of AIFF and their actions should be in compliance with the constitution of AIFF," the letter further added.
So far, only the Indian Football Association (IFA) -- the governing body of football in Bengal -- has responded to the letter and mentioned that they are in no way going to be associated with the Premier Futsal competition.
"Yes we have received that letter and have taken it into consideration. IFA is doing its best to make sure there is no problem and we have issued a notice to all our affiliated members and stakeholders," said IFA President Utpal Ganguly.
Players from across 21 countries are slated to take part in the first-ever Premier Futsal league in India. There will be eight teams representing Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad and Goa in the league. It was also announced recently that Rohit Ramesh, a sports journalist with The Hindu group, has agreed to take the ownership of the Chennai franchisee.
