AIFF, IPFA talks: deadlock continues

By A. Vinod

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 24. The scope of an immediate settlement to the rift between the top football clubs of the country, under the banner of the Indian Premier Football Association, and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) appears to be remote as talks between the two have ended in a deadlock.

Though the discussion was initiated by the AIFF president, Mr. Priyaranjan Das Munshi himself - perhaps to be in a position to properly brief the emergency session of the AIFF executive on November 26 - his one-to-one meeting with the IPFA president, Mr. Vijay Mallya, in New Delhi on Thursday night could hardly make any progress as the two sides remained firm on their known positions.

This despite IPFA climbing down on several issues but insisting on implementation of three of its major demands: (a) recognition to the IPFA as an AIFF affiliate but with no voting rights; (b) immediate disposal of the over Rs. 75 lakhs due to the clubs from the AIFF through the last two years and (c) postponement of the 5th National Football League (NFL) until such time that all pending problems were amicably settled.

Sources said the AIFF president was unable to promise anything on these specific demands stating that any decision on these issues could be taken only by the AIFF general body. Though it was then suggested that the start of the national league be deferred at least until the December 16 AIFF general body meeting was over the talks ended on an inconclusive note when Mr. Munshi failed to come up with any concessions even to this proposal.

Though no further talks are immediately scheduled, sources were quick to point out that formal parleys between the two sides could take place before December 16 and that IPFA would cooperate with AIFF to end the stalemate. However, if no progress is made and the AIFF remained adamant against meeting the genuine demands placed before it, the member-clubs of the IPFA would be restrained to pull out of the NFL.

The IPFA, in the meanwhile, is also reported to have decided to float a registered company with a capital of Rs. 10 crore and run a parallel league, in the event of the AIFF going ahead with the conduct of the NFL without addressing the points raised in Thursday's discussions. The proposed company will have Bangalore as its headquarters.

This decision of the IPFA seems to have been prompted by the receipt of at least three concrete offers, from major private television channels, to support the parallel league. At least one of them has also gone to the extent of quoting Rs. 6.5 crore for exclusive TV rights it is learnt.

The ball seems to be in AIFF's court to find out a solution and bring the erring clubs back into the mainstream. But what has baffled even independent observers is the continued silence of AIFF secretary, Mr. K.N. Mour. This is only an added confirmation that AIFF remains a divided house even when its credentials have been severely questioned and that the attempt by the clubs to get the parent body to realise the need for a professional management of the game in the country could not have come at a more opportune time.

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