Blow for AIFF as Salgaocar FC, Sporting Clube de Goa pull out from I-League

In a huge jolt to the India's premier football competition, two of Indian football’s traditional outfits, Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa, today decided to “withdraw” from the forthcoming season of I-League over the AIFF’s decision to restructure the domestic league system.

The decision was made public in a joint statement issued by the two Goa-based clubs.

The AIFF, which on May 17 met various stakeholders, including its marketing partners IMG-Reliance, virtually recognised ISL as the country’s premier league as per its draft plan, while deciding to form a three-tier football system in India from 2017-18.

“Over the past few weeks, Salgaocar Football Club and Sporting Clube de Goa have had several rounds of discussions and have deliberated the impact that the May 17^th proposal will have on the state of the sport. It is clear that the proposal is highly discriminatory, goes against sporting merit, is unworkable for I-League clubs and hampers Goa, which is the best represented state in the I-League, the most,” the two clubs said in a statement.

It added, “Therefore, rather than waiting for another year to face the inevitable, Salgaocar Football Club and Sporting Clube de Goa have decided to take the painful decision to withdraw from the forthcoming edition of the I-League.”

The AIFF has also faced opposition to its proposed plans from legacy clubs such as Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. The exit of Salgaocar and Sporting Clube de Goa will come as another blow.

Detailing the sequence of events from the May 17 meeting, the two Goan heavyweights called AIFF’s proposals ‘shocking’ and ‘disheartening’.

“At this meeting a detailed proposal was presented, which is heavily biased against the I-League and its clubs. Not only does it relegate the I-League to a second tier league, but also does away with promotion, thereby replacing merit with a franchisee fee as the primary criteria for participating in the top league.

“The ISL, hitherto termed as only a tournament by the AIFF, would leapfrog the I-League to become the nation’s top league, with no relegation. This was shocking and disheartening, especially considering the repeated claims made by representatives of AIFF and FIFA that the I-League was the premier league competition in the country.”