FIFA suspends India from football

FIFA has suspended the All India Football Federation (AIFF) due to “undue influence from third parties” with immediate effect, world soccer’s governing body said on Monday (August 15).

The suspension also means that the Under-17 women’s World Cup, which was scheduled to take place in India from October 11-30, cannot be held in the country as planned.

The Supreme Court of India had disbanded the AIFF in May and appointed a three-member committee to govern the sport, amend the AIFF’s constitution and conduct elections that have been pending for 18 months.

In response, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation sent a team led by AFC general secretary Windsor John to meet Indian football stakeholders and laid down a roadmap for the AIFF to amend its statutes by the end of July and subsequently conclude elections at the latest by September 15.

“The suspension will be lifted once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been repealed and the AIFF administration regains full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs,” FIFA said in Monday’s statement.

Earlier this month, the Indian court ordered elections to be held promptly and said the elected committee would be an interim body for a period of three months._The Indian Express