logo
I-League drama reaches new height: Despite CAS order, AIFF hands over trophy to Churchill Brothers

I-League drama reaches new height: Despite CAS order, AIFF hands over trophy to Churchill Brothers

First Post28-04-2025

The All India Football Federation handed the I-League trophy and winners' medals to Churchill Brothers FC Goa in a ceremony on Sunday, only to find out they were prohibited from doing so by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. read more
Churchill Brothers FC Goa finished with 40 points from 22 games at the end of the 2024-25 I-League season, one more than the second-placed Inter Kashi. Image credit: Instagram/churchillbrothersfcgoa
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) found itself in an embarrassing situation after handing over the I-League trophy and winners' medals to Churchill Brothers FC Goa on Sunday despite an order from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) prohibiting them from doing so. The governing body for Indian football stated that they were not made aware of the CAS order due to a holiday in the AIFF Secretariat, and got to know about it only after the ceremony had already taken place in Goa on Sunday.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'The AIFF would like to clarify that, with regard to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) order, due to a holiday in the AIFF Secretariat, the federation was only informed of the order at a time when the ceremony had already concluded in Goa,' read a statement from the AIFF.
More from Football
'The AIFF remains committed to adhering to all regulatory and legal processes and will take appropriate action,' it added.
The Lausanne-based CAS had barred the AIFF from declaring a winner in the 2024-25 season, which had concluded on 6 April, or conducting a medal ceremony until the ongoing arbitration involving Inter Kashi is resolved.
'The All India Football Federation is ordered not to declare the winner of the I-League 2024/2025 or organise a medal ceremony for the I-League 2024-25 until the present arbitration has been concluded,' Elizabeth Steiner, the Deputy President of CAS' Appeals Arbitration Division, said in a statement.
Why Inter Kashi have filed an appeal before CAS
Churchill Brothers had finished with 40 points from 22 games at the end of the season, one more than Inter Kashi, and were set to join the Indian Super League (ISL) – the top division of Indian football – by virtue of being the I-League champion.
Inter Kashi, however, had played a game against Namdhari FC in which their opponents collected a 2-0 win while reportedly fielding an ineligible player. Kashi appealed against Namdhari fielding Brazilian forward Cledson Carvalho da Silva despite picking up four yellow cards prior to the game, which should have resulted in his suspension.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Namdhari thus were docked the three points they had collected following their victory, which were awarded to Kashi. Things, however, started getting complicated for all parties involved after Namdhari appealed against the decision before the Delhi-based governing body, claiming Cledson was fielded as the 'AIFF CMS portal did not show the player was banned for the game".
Thus the 3-0 victory that was awarded to Inter Kashi due to Namdhari FC's 'forfeiture' as a result of fielding an ineligible player was put on hold until the AIFF arrived at a final decision.
Kashi have since welcomed CAS' order putting a hold to Churchill Brothers' celebrations. Should the final verdict come out in their favour, Kashi will finish with 42 points to their name instead of 39 and will lift the trophy and book their ISL ticket as a result.
'Inter Kashi eagerly awaits a truly free and fair hearing of the matter at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and maintains that the case involves a simple interpretation of rules and regulations based on some undisputed facts,' the club based in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi said in a statement.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The AIFF as well as Churchill Brothers and Namdhari FC have been granted time until Tuesday, 29 April to file a full reply to Inter Kashi's application for provisional measures, according to CAS.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Viswanathan Anand set to make return in World Rapid and Blitz team championship
Viswanathan Anand set to make return in World Rapid and Blitz team championship

India Today

time30 minutes ago

  • India Today

Viswanathan Anand set to make return in World Rapid and Blitz team championship

Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand is all set to make a return during the World Rapid and Blitz team chess championship as a part of the Freedom team. The side will be led by FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsly, which only features Anand as the sole Indian in the team. The hot favourites for the tournament will be the WR Chess team, which will be spearheaded by Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia on the top board, as Magnus Carlsen won't take part in the competition. The World No.1 refused to take part in the FIDE event. Arjun Erigaisi will also be on the top board and will be assisted by by P Harikrishna on the second Read: D Gukesh picks his best Norway Chess moment. Carlsen can't stop laughing World junior champion V Pranav is a welcome addition to the side alongside Luke Leon Mendonca, who is the next rising star in Indian chess behind the the quartet of world champion D Gukesh, Arjun, R Praggnanandhaa and Aravindh Chithambaram. The event will also see Nihal Sarin in action, as he will represent the fifth-seed Ashdod elite chess club. Nihal and Anand will play as the top seed on top board like Erigaisi, but the presence of D Gukesh and Carlsen will be missed as they decided to skip the event. The WR Chess team is stacked with the Nepomniachtchi, Firouzja Alireza, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Hikaru Nakamura, Alexandra Kostenuik, and Wesley So on the side. As part of the rules of the competition, every round has to have a female player as well as a player rated less than 2200 on the FIDE rating list that was last published on June 1. advertisementThis has been added to make the dynamics of the tournament more exciting than any other team event. The winner of each competition will get 110000 and 75000 US Dollars, Watch

Deepika Padukone launches 75 badminton centers on her father's 70th birthday—read more
Deepika Padukone launches 75 badminton centers on her father's 70th birthday—read more

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Deepika Padukone launches 75 badminton centers on her father's 70th birthday—read more

On the special occasion of her father Prakash Padukone's 70th birthday, actress Deepika Padukone launched 75 coaching centers under the Padukone School of Badminton (PSB) across 18 cities in India. To operate in major cities The initiative, which Deepika both founded and funds, aims to provide professional badminton training while promoting health, discipline, and sportsmanship. PSB will operate in major cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, NCR, Pune, Mysuru, Jaipur, Dehradun, Coimbatore, and others. The school is mentored by none other than Prakash Padukone, former world No. 1 and All England Champion, making it a significant milestone in Indian badminton. 'As someone who grew up playing badminton…' Marking the personal and professional celebration, Deepika took to social media to share a heartfelt note along with a picture of her and her father. 'As someone who grew up playing badminton, I've experienced firsthand how much this sport can shape one's life physically, mentally, and emotionally,' she wrote. Through PSB, she hopes to 'bring the joy and discipline of badminton to people from all walks of life' and inspire a generation that is healthier and more focused. Deepika Joins Atlee–Allu Arjun's Magnum Opus On professional front, Deepika Padukone is set to star in director Atlee's upcoming project, AA22 x A6, alongside Telugu superstar Allu Arjun . This marks Deepika's first foray into South Indian cinema and the first collaboration among the trio. The announcement video, released by Sun Pictures on June 7, generated major buzz across social media platforms, with the studio welcoming Deepika as 'The Queen.' Meanwhile, Deepika Padukone's previous hit film was the Prabhas starrer 'Kalki 2898 AD,' which also had Amitabh Bachchan in a pivotal role. Deepika was also seen together with Hrithik Roshan in the aerial action flick 'Fighter'. Deepika Padukone and Tiger Shroff at Mumbai Airport

Deepika Padukone wishes her father Prakash Padukone on his birthday through special announcement
Deepika Padukone wishes her father Prakash Padukone on his birthday through special announcement

Mint

timean hour ago

  • Mint

Deepika Padukone wishes her father Prakash Padukone on his birthday through special announcement

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 10 (ANI): Bollywood star Deepika Padukone celebrated her father, badminton legend Prakash Padukone's 70th birthday in a special way on Tuesday. The actor shared the news in a press release in an Instagram post, stating that their Padukone School of Badminton (PSB) has achieved a significant milestone by establishing over 75 coaching centres across 18 cities, including Bengaluru, NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur, Pune, Nashik, Mysuru, Panipat, Dehradun, Udaipur, Coimbatore, Sangli, and Surat. Deepika said that the school "hope to bring the joy and discipline of Badminton to people from all walks of life" In a post on her Instagram handle, she wished her father a happy birthday, stating, "As someone who grew up playing badminton, I've experienced firsthand how much this sport can shape one's life - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Through Padukone School of Badminton (PSB), we hope to bring the joy and discipline of Badminton to people from all walks of life, and build a generation that is healthier, more focused, and inspired by sport. Pappa, those who know you well, know your passion for this sport. That even at 70, all you do is eat, sleep and breathe Badminton. And we are committed to making your passion a reality: Badminton for All! Happy 70th Birthday Pappa!" After her announcement, Ranveer Singh dropped a heart emoji in the comment section. In the same press release, Prakash Padukone, PSB's Mentor and Advisor, shared his sentiment. "Sport is an integral part of growing up - it instills discipline, resilience, and a winning mindset that extends well beyond the court. With PSB, our goal is to make quality coaching accessible and affordable, nurture talent from the grassroots, and set a strong foundation for the future of Indian badminton," Padukone said. PSB partners with schools, institutions, and existing venues to set up grassroots academies that feed into its flagship Training Program at the 3 High-Performance Centres of Excellence in Bengaluru, as per the press release. (ANI)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store