Based on a recommendation from its technical director Isac Doru, the league committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has put forth a proposal to eliminate relegation for the previous season’s I-League. This decision is a response to the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Doru had previously advised against demoting any team this season, drawing examples from 23 countries, including the Netherlands, Argentina, Mexico, Romania, and Japan, where relegation has been frozen to support teams during challenging times. The committee agreed with Doru’s recommendation and suggested to the executive committee that no team should be relegated from the Hero I-League. Additionally, the committee recommended granting Neroca FC permission to participate in the 2021-22 edition of the Hero I-League, pending the fulfillment of the required licensing conditions as determined by the Club Licensing Committee. Neroca FC, based in Manipur, finished at the bottom of the previous I-League. The final decision on these proposals will be made by the AIFF’s executive committee in the near future.
During the meeting, Doru highlighted the challenges faced by clubs during the pandemic, including limited preparation time, reduced training hours, difficulties in organizing friendly matches, and transfer issues. CEO of the leagues, Sunando Dhar, shared that the AIFF had reached out to all participating clubs, who unanimously expressed their agreement in writing that relegation should be frozen given the current circumstances.
The committee also deliberated on hosting other events such as the Indian Women’s League, Futsal Club Championship, and I-League Qualifiers. They agreed to reconvene in a month’s time to assess the health situation and determine suitable dates for these events, considering the interests of all stakeholders.
Subrata Dutta, the senior vice-president and chairman of the league committee, emphasized the importance of taking necessary precautions and staying safe amid the ongoing pandemic. Dutta expressed the hope that the situation would improve, allowing for the planning of future football calendars accordingly.
In addition to Isac Doru, Sunando Dhar, and Subrata Dutta, other attendees at the meeting included AIFF general secretary Kushal Das and various others.