Latest news with #ChurchillBrothers
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
I-League: Churchill Brothers triumph as AIFF appeals panel knocks Inter Kashi out for second time
Churchill Brothers will be allotted two additional points after Inter Kashi fielded 'ineligible' Mario Barco in their draw against the former champions at Raia Panaji: The I-League title race has taken another turn after the AIFF appeals committee adjudged that Inter Kashi fielded an ineligible player for multiple games in the second leg of the competition. The appeals committee heard an appeal from Churchill Brothers, Namdhari FC and Real Kashmir, and ruled that the re-registration of Mario Barco by Inter Kashi made him an ineligible player. 'The rules do not provide for re-registration for anyone who has been ousted from the season due to a season ending injury/illness,' chairperson of appeals committee Rajesh Tandon said in the order on Saturday. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The appeals committee had earlier rejected Kashi's plea against Namdhari fielding an ineligible player to announce Churchill as champions. Kashi have challenged the decision at the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) where the matter is expected to be decided later this month. In the provisional standings, Churchill had 40 points, a point more than Kashi, while Real Kashmir were third with 37 points. The appeals committee order means Kashi's games where Mario was fielded would result in forfeiture. Churchill will now get two additional points, taking their points tally to an unassailable 42, regardless of the pending appeal before CAS. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo IPL 2025 Winner Prediction: What Greenstone Lobo's Astrology says 'Churchill Brothers, with 42 points, are the undisputed champions,' Churchill said on Tuesday. 'After this order, Churchill's championship win has been affirmed. The I-League trophy will continue to be in Goa. Churchill Brothers are grateful to the judicial bodies as they have rightfully upheld our legitimate claims.' Kashi said they would appeal against the judgement at CAS, just like they have done with the previous order where three points allotted to them by the disciplinary committee were returned to Namdhari by the appeals committee. 'While it is unfortunate that Inter Kashi has to approach CAS yet again for a truly free and fair hearing of the matter, it seems to be the new reality of Indian football. The club is flabbergasted that such simple rules and regulations can be twisted and misinterpreted in such a manner through which the club is now suffering without any fault of its own,' Kashi said in a statement. Poll Should Inter Kashi continue their appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)? Yes, they deserve another hearing. No, the decision should stand. Records suggest that Mario was part of Kashi's initial squad – which included six foreigners -- for the I-League but was later replaced by Matija Babovic due to what was seen as a season-ending injury. The Spanish striker, however, continued to remain contracted with the club and made a return to the team on Feb 26, 2025 since Julen Perez's contract termination during the January transfer window left a vacant foreign spot. According to the order, the federation's competitions department disallowed Kashi from re-registering Mario on Feb 2, insisting that the request did not comply with clause 6.5.7 of the I-League regulations which states that a foreign player can only be replaced by another foreign player in case an injury or illness prevents the player from continuing to play for the rest of the competition or after mutual termination of the contract. Kashi appealed the decision with the AIFF League Committee which said on Feb 15 that a majority of its members were in favour of approving the club's request to add back player Mario Barco. Kashi fielded Mario for their games starting Feb 26 against Rajasthan United. In its order, the appeals committee said there is no power of review available with the League Committee in I-League regulations. 'A power not available in a statute cannot be exercised by a body which itself is a creature of the statute,' the order noted. 'The unlawful inclusion of a foreign player provided Inter Kashi with an unfair advantage over other clubs adhering to the prescribed regulations,' stated the order. 'Such a violation directly undermines the principles of fair play and the integrity of the I-League. Furthermore, not penalising such a violation would encourage resource-wealthy clubs to buy and rotate more foreign players in their squads. This would directly undermine the principles of equity and equal opportunities which has made the I-League one of the most renowned football leagues of this country till now. '
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
HT Kick Off: The sublime and the ridiculous
On Sunday evening, Mo Salah taking a selfie with the Kop summed up everything that was right for Liverpool. Hours before, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) held a prize distribution ceremony that encapsulated all that was wrong with the beautiful game in the world's biggest democracy. The latest in that developing story is that Churchill Brothers are yet to return the I-League trophy as asked for by AIFF. But more of that later. 'We truly deserve to be champions of England,' said Virgil van Dijk and not a syllable in that sentence was out of place from the skipper who has played every minute of Liverpool's 34 matches. Salah was at the front and centre of a dominating show from Liverpool. He is so removed from the player who arrived from Roma in 2017, one who had been cast-off after 19 matches by Chelsea and had had a spell at Fiorentina. You couldn't blame Juergen Klopp for wanting Julian Brandt over him just as you could not blame Liverpool for giving him a new two-year deal now. Because by now, his position as 'The Egyptian King' at Merseyside is secure. Salah has won the Champions League and scored in the final. He has two Premier League titles and two League Cups. Just as important, he has been a voice for gender parity in the Arab-speaking world and has spoken against the pummelling of Gaza. And though Dominik Szoboszlai regularly covered 11km, as per Arne Slot, Salah has been their fittest player. His tally of 28 league goals this term includes strikes against Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Spurs and Manchester United. 'Super grateful for the past, super, super happy about the present, extremely positive about the future!' Klopp said in an Instagram post. From Liverpool to Goa, city to state. AIFF went ahead with its prize distribution ceremony for the I-League on Sunday, hours before kick-off at Anfield, even as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) asked it not to. That happened because AIFF said by the time it had received the intimation from CAS late. Watch video here. Apparently, AIFF has an e-mail address for all official communication. And it being Sunday, the administrative office was shut, the federation said. But this being AIFF, you will hear many conspiracy theories. One of them is: it was only to embarrass AIFF that the e-mail was not forwarded by Inter Kashi to the AIFF deputy secretary-general who handed over the prize to Churchill Brothers or to anyone in the federation's legal team with whom the club had been liaising over the past few months is not known. Another goes like this; the e-mail also reached Churchill Brothers but maybe they too had missed it. A third version is: AIFF knew about it and kept quiet as its top officials wanted to keep Churchill Brothers in its corner. AIFF is on record saying it got to know of the CAS order after handing over the trophy to Churchill Brothers who were adjudged winners by the federation's appeals committee. It is puzzling why Churchill Brothers could not wait, as suggested by AIFF, to take the trophy at the federation's prize distribution night on Friday, before the Super Cup final. Exactly what anyone gains by having the trophy for a few days is not known. Nor is the deafening silence on being asked to return it (till Thursday evening that is). In the middle of all this, the Goa federation president has written to AIFF's executive committee saying he was not informed by the federation where the I-League programme would be held. As Klopp did not say, the present and the future in India is not much to look forward to. India's group: India have been clubbed with Myanmar, Indonesia and Turkmenistan in Group D of the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup following the draw conducted in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, reports PTI. Myanmar will host the qualifiers between August 6 and 10. A total of 33 teams were divided into eight groups. Group A has five teams while the rest have four each The group winners and the three best runners-up, along with final round host country Thailand, will complete the cast of 12 teams for the 12th edition of the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup, which will take place from April 1 to 18, 2026. The top four teams in the final tournament will qualify for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup. Thailand test for India: The Indian men's team will play a friendly against higher-ranked Thailand away from home on June 4, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced, reports PTI. To be held at Thammasat Stadium, the match will be a part of the team's preparation for its 2027 Asian Cup qualification match against Hong Kong-China on June 10. India are ranked 127th in the FIFA Rankings, while Thailand are 99th. 6th successive WSL for Chelsea: Chelsea clinched their sixth straight Women's Super League title on Wednesday to secure a second trophy of the season in its bid for another domestic treble, reports AP. After seeing second-place Arsenal lose 5-2 to Aston Villa, Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 away to move into an unassailable nine-point lead with two games remaining and stay undefeated in the league. Chelsea have already won the League Cup this season and advanced to the FA Cup final, where they will face Manchester United again at Wembley Stadium on May 18. The London club lost to Barcelona in the Women's Champions League semi-finals to end the quadruple hopes of Sonia Bompastor's squad. Vijayan promoted: The Kerala government has passed an order to create a supernumerary post of Deputy Commandant in the Malabar Special Police Battalion for I M Vijayan and appoint him to it, given his contribution to the sport, reports PTI. Vijayan is currently the Assistant Commandant in the Malabar Special Police Battalion. The government directed the State Police Chief to take further steps following the order and submit a report. The order, on Vijayan's request, comes a day before Vijayan is set to retire from the force. 13-match ban: Tranmere Rovers midfielder Sam Finley has been handed a 13-match suspension and a £2,000-fine for homophobic language towards an opponent in a game against Walsall in January, England's Football Association has said, reports Reuters. During Walsall's 5-1 win over Tranmere in January, Finley admitted to the referee that he had called Jamille Matt a homophobic term after the Walsall striker notified the match official. The FA alleged Finley's language was 'abusive and/or insulting and/or improper' and constituted an aggravated breach as it included a reference to sexual orientation. Finley later admitted the charge against him. Li Tie loses appeal: Former Premier League midfielder Li Tie has lost his appeal against a 20-year prison sentence for bribery, a Chinese court said on Wednesday, reports AFP. A lower court jailed the former China coach in December, snaring one of the country's best-known football figures in a sweeping government crackdown on corruption in sport. The Hubei Provincial Higher People's Court said in a statement on Wednesday it had rejected Li's appeal and ruled to uphold his original jail term. He was found guilty of a string of offences relating to giving and receiving bribes. The 47-year-old represented China nearly 100 times and moved to Everton in 2002. After retiring from playing, he served as national team coach from January 2020 to December 2021. FIFA study: A groundbreaking FIFA-funded study at Kingston University will investigate whether hormonal fluctuations during menstrual cycles could be contributing to an alarming rise in career-threatening knee injuries in women's soccer, says Reuters. The research comes after players including Arsenal's Beth Mead, Manchester City's Vivianne Miedema and Chelsea's Sam Kerr have all suffered serious injuries of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which runs diagonally in the middle of the knee. Led by PhD student Blake Rivers alongside a team of sports science experts, the year-long study at Kingston near London will analyse blood samples from elite and grassroots footballers to track hormone concentrations through their menstrual cycles. Rüdiger's problems: Antonio Rüdiger underwent knee surgery on Tuesday and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Rüdiger had to be replaced in extra-time of Madrid 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday. He made headlines for shouting at the referee from the bench and for apparently throwing a small bag of ice onto the field. Rüdiger apologised for his behaviour but the incident prompted former Germany player Dietmar Hamann to call for the defender to be left out of Germany's squad for the Nations League final four in June. German national team sporting director Rudi Völler also criticised Rüdiger, saying he needed to show 'class' and respect for others. Premier League office in Mumbai: The Premier League is expanding its global footprint with the opening of a new office in Mumbai, strengthening its commitment to one of football's most passionate fan bases, says Reuters. The Mumbai hub will build on nearly two decades of Premier League engagement in India, where the league has run grassroots initiatives since 2007 through its Premier Skills programme, supporting thousands of coaches and young people in 18 states. Premier League has also collaborated with the Indian Super League since 2014, sharing expertise in governance and development. Their joint Next Gen Cup youth tournament will feature its sixth edition in Mumbai next May, featuring ISL youth teams competing against Premier League Under-19 sides. Dorival Jr at Corinthians: Former Brazil coach Dorival Jr has been appointed as the new manager of Corinthians till December 2026, the Brazilian club said on Monday, reports Reuters. The 63-year-old was sacked by Brazil following their 1-4 loss to Argentina in a World Cup qualifier last month. He replaces Ramon Diaz at Corinthians, who are 12th in the league with just seven points from six matches. 'It's an important moment in my career. I hope to leave a legacy within the work that has already been going on,' Dorival Jr said in a statement. Vardy to leave: Jamie Vardy will leave former Premier League champions Leicester at the end of the season, the relegated club announced on Thursday, describing the lightning-quick forward as their 'greatest-ever player,' reports AFP. The talismanic striker, a key member of the side that lifted the English league title against seemingly impossible odds in 2016, vowed to continue playing even at the age of 38. The former England international joined the Foxes in 2012 from non-league side Fleetwood for just £1 million and has scored 198 goals (143 in Premier League) in nearly 500 appearances. Meghalaya's Riiohlang Dhar will be the first Indian to be part of the refereeing team for the AFC Women's Champions League semi-final and final. The FIFA assistant-referee is among the eight chosen for the last two rounds in May. Dhar has officiated in under-17 women's World Cup and the AFC under-17 women's Asian Cup. How Dembele helped PSG have a good night in London. The Roman Weidenfeller interview An emotion called East Bengal Inconclusive but Inter and Barca make magic
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
AIFF asks Churchill Brothers to return I-League trophy
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday asked Churchill Brothers to return the I-League trophy it presented to the club despite a stay order from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). On Sunday, hours after the Switzerland-based CAS stayed AIFF's decision to declare Churchill Brothers as I-League champion and barred it from conducting any formal medal ceremony, the national federation awarded the winner's trophy to the Goan club. AIFF deputy secretary general M. Satyanarayan presented the trophy to Churchill Brothers players and later claimed that the federation learnt about the CAS order only after the ceremony was over as its secretariat was closed on Sunday. But on Monday, the AIFF was forced to ask Churchill to return the trophy. 'On Monday, we have written to Churchill Brothers to return the I-League trophy,' an AIFF source told PTI on condition of anonymity. READ: Chhangte: I believe something good will happen this year for Indian national team 'We are bound to obey CAS order. Let the CAS decide on the matter, and we will hand over the trophy after the decision.' The AIFF Disciplinary Committee had awarded a 3-0 forfeit win and three points to Inter Kashi after ruling that Namdhari fielded an 'ineligible player'. That decision would have taken Inter Kashi to 42 points, enough to clinch the title. However, the AIFF Appeals Committee later put the Disciplinary Committee order 'inoperative and in abeyance' pending a final hearing. After a delayed process, including a postponed April 12 hearing due to Namdhari's counsel citing 'sickness', the AIFF's Appeals Committee on April 18 set aside the Disciplinary Committee's order and ruled in favour of Churchill. On the basis of its Appeal Committee ruling, the AIFF had declared Churchill Brothers as I-League champion. Related Topics AIFF / Churchill Brothers
The Print
27-04-2025
- Sport
- The Print
AIFF awards I-League trophy to Churchill despite CAS stay order
All India Football Federation (AIFF) deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan presented the trophy to Churchill Brothers and claimed that they learnt about the CAS order only after the ceremony was conducted. New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) Hours after Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) stayed AIFF's decision to declare Churchill Brothers as I League champions and barred it from conducting any formal felicitation ceremony, the national federation awarded the winners trophy to the Goan club, a development which may invite action from the international body. Elizabeth Steiner, the Deputy President of the Appeals Arbitration Division of the CAS, had barred AIFF from conducting any medal ceremony till the case is decided. Inter Kashi President Prithiijit Das said that the CAS order came around 1:30pm IST on Sunday while Satyanarayan gave away the trophy to Churchill at around 4pm. 'The CAS order came around 1:30pm IST and the mail was marked to AIFF also,' Das told PTI. Satyanarayan, however, said that the AIFF came to know of the CAS order only after he had already given away the trophy to Churchill Brothers. He said since the AIFF Secretariat was closed on Sunday and he being on a flight, he came to know of the CAS order late in the day. 'I was on a flight to Goa to give away the trophy and it being a Sunday, the AIFF Secretariat is closed. I came to know about it only after I gave away the trophy,' he told PTI. 'We have followed the Delhi High Court and AIFF Appeals Committee order and now we will see what can be done after consulting the lawyers.' He did say that the AIFF will have to obey the CAS' final ruling on the matter. 'After the hearing, whatever the CAS rules, we have to obey it and then we have to act accordingly.' AIFF and Churchill Brothers were among the respondents in the case before the Switzerland-based CAS. How the world football governing body FIFA and the CAS react to the development is to be seen. CAS is the highest sports tribunal in the world and all the sports bodies are bound to obey its directions. Whether the AIFF is able to explain the timeline as to how it was not able to receive the CAS order on time will be important. The AIFF later issued a statement defending its position. 'The I-League 2024-25 presentation ceremony was concluded on Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Goa. During the event, the champions' trophy and winners' medals were formally presented to Churchill Brothers FC Goa, as per Appeals Committee order and representation made by AIFF to Hon'ble Delhi High Court on April 23, 2025. 'The AIFF would like to clarify that, with regard to 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 been concluded in Goa. The AIFF remains committed to adhering to all regulatory and legal processes and will take appropriate action.' In an order passed 'on request for provisional measures', Steiner barred the AIFF from conducting any medal ceremony till the case is decided. 'The decision rendered by the Appeal Committee of All India Football Federation rendered on 18 April 2025 is stayed,' Steiner said in an 'ex parte' order. '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,' said the Austrian jurist. In 'ex parte' order, the proceeding or action involves only one party without notice to the other. These orders are in place only until further hearings can be held. The CAS granted the respondents, including the AIFF and Churchill Brothers 'a time limit to file a full reply to the application for provisional measures until 29 April 2025.' Churchill Brothers had finished provisionally on top of the table with 40 points after the final round on April 6. But, their title and Indian Super League promotion were subject to the outcome of Inter Kashi's disputed points from their January 13 match against Namdhari SC, which the latter had won 2-0. The AIFF Disciplinary Committee had awarded a 3-0 forfeit win and three points to Inter Kashi after ruling that Namdhari fielded an 'ineligible player'. That decision would have taken Inter Kashi to 42 points, enough to clinch the title. However, the AIFF Appeals Committee later put the Disciplinary Committee order 'inoperative and in abeyance' pending a final hearing. After a delayed process, including a postponed April 12 hearing due to Namdhari's counsel citing 'sickness', the AIFF's Appeals Committee on April 18 set aside the Disciplinary Committee's order and ruled in favour of Churchill. On the basis of its Appeal Committee ruling, the AIFF had declared Churchill Brothers as I-League champions. PTI PDS PDS AT AT This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
AIFF awards I-League trophy to Churchill Brothers despite CAS stay
In a controversial move, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) awarded the I-League trophy to Churchill Brothers on Sunday, just hours after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had stayed the decision and barred any formal felicitation. The defiant act could invite further scrutiny from global bodies like FIFA and CAS. Deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan handed the trophy to Churchill Brothers at a ceremony in Goa, claiming the AIFF only learned about the CAS order after the presentation. "I was on a flight to Goa and the AIFF Secretariat was closed on Sunday. I came to know about the order only after giving away the trophy," Satyanarayan told PTI. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The CAS stay came on an urgent application filed by Inter Kashi, who argued that a pending points dispute could alter the final standings. Inter Kashi president Prithiijit Das asserted, "The CAS order came around 1:30 pm IST and the mail was marked to AIFF also," questioning the federation's explanation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Jakarta Raya: AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Aroun... Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Who's that IPL player? CAS deputy president Elizabeth Steiner had clearly ruled that the AIFF must not declare a winner or hold any ceremony until the arbitration concludes. The respondents, including AIFF and Churchill Brothers, have until April 29 to respond. Poll How should AIFF handle the situation moving forward? Consult FIFA for further guidance. Stand by their decision and await CAS verdict. Revoke the trophy award until CAS concludes. Defending its move, AIFF later issued a statement, emphasising that the presentation was based on previous Delhi High Court and Appeals Committee rulings and that the federation would comply with CAS' final verdict. Churchill Brothers had provisionally finished atop the I-League standings, but Inter Kashi's challenge over a disputed match result could yet overturn the title race. With the CAS involved, how FIFA and the world body react remains to be seen, especially since sports federations are bound to respect CAS directives. The controversy has cast a shadow over Indian football's governance yet again.
