FIFA waiting for information from India over AIFF’s election row

AIFF confirmed that the High Court of Delhi had ordered a re-run of the election held in December, which saw Praful Patel reelected as its president.

FIFA, Football Federation Australia, Steven Lowy, EGM

FIFA statutes declare that member federations must be free from legal and political interference. (Source: File)

Global football body FIFA is waiting for information over a Delhi High Court ruling which annulled the Indian football federation’s (AIFF) most recent presidential election.

FIFA statutes declare that member federations must be free from legal and political interference in their respective countries and has suspended other national associations in the past in similar cases.

In an emailed statement to Reuters on Thursday, FIFA said it was “awaiting an official communication from the AIFF concerning the said matter. We have no further comment for the time being”.

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The AIFF confirmed on Tuesday that the High Court of Delhi had ordered a re-run of the election held in December, which saw Praful Patel reelected as its president.

It said the High Court had appointed the country’s former election commissioner S.Y. Quraishi as the AIFF administrator and put him in charge of conducting a new election within five months under rules stipulated by the national sports code.

The AIFF said it was “fully complaint” with both Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports directives, as well as FIFA statutes.

The High Court’s ruling came only three days after the final of the under-17 World Cup which was hosted by India.
Patel is also a vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and is on FIFA’s finance committee.