Blow for Indian football: Salgaocar, Sporting Clube quit I-League

'AIFF's draft plan highly discriminatory, goes against sporting merit, is unworkable for I-League clubs.'

'The ISL will form the top tier of competition without the provision for relegation.'

'The I-League and its lower division will become the second and third divisions, with relegation and promotion only taking place between these two tiers of competition.'

Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa, Indian football's traditional outfits, decided to "withdraw" from the forthcoming season of the I-League over the All India Football Federation’s decision to restructure the domestic league system.

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

The AIFF, which met various stakeholders, including its marketing partners IMG-Reliance, on May 17, virtually recognised the Indian Super League (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 17th 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," read a statement from the two clubs.

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."

As per the draft, the ISL will form the top tier of competition without the provision for relegation; the I-League and its lower division will become the second and third divisions, with relegation and promotion only taking place between these two tiers of competition.

The statement further said, "The lack of response from the AIFF is telling, and makes it clear that the fate of the world's most popular sport in the world's second most populous nation would be decided unilaterally.

"We therefore have no option but to believe that the AIFF will enforce the May 17 proposal, which would promote the ISL to the nation's premier tournament with a 'pay to play' franchisee model with no promotion or relegation. Furthermore, it guarantees the winner of the ISL representation at the AFC level, with the other available spot going to the winner of a tournament that again is heavily skewed in favour of ISL franchisees.

"This effectively removes any incentive for a club team to participate in the restructured I-League, given that monetary incentives were never a contributing factor.

"The lack of the latter was ensured by the AIFF who unfairly sold the rights to the I-League without consulting all its stakeholders. Remarkably, while demanding professionalism and fiscal responsibility from I-League clubs without itself reflecting the same, the AIFF has still not settled dues to I-League clubs dating as far back as 2008."

IMAGE: Salgaocar players, in green, defend during a match against Shillong Lajong.

Photograph: AIFF