Global football body FIFA announced that it would be suspending the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with immediate effect. The decision was “due to undue influence from third parties,” constituting a serious violation of the FIFA statutes, the organization’s governing body said.
The AIFF is in a state of some chaos and being run by administrators after long serving former chief Praful Patel stayed in office beyond the maximum term of 12 years without fresh elections, which courts ruled invalid.
Patel, who has held a number of high profile government positions alongside his AIFF post, ran Indian football from 2009. Government ministers combining their political work with running major sports federations is the norm in India.
