Indian court urged to settle issues that led to FIFA ban

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s top court is expected to take up a government plea to settle issues that led to the national soccer federation’s suspension by FIFA and the possible loss of its hosting rights for the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in October.

The FIFA suspension follows the Supreme Court's appointment of a three-member Committee of Administrators to manage the affairs of the All India Football Federation and to conduct elections for new office bearers by the end of August under a new constitution.

“I request that the AIFF matters pending before the court be urgently heard,” top government law officer Tushar Mehta told Supreme Court Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and A.S. Bopanna on Tuesday, according to the Press Trust of India.

The justices agreed to take up the matter Wednesday.

India's Supreme Court in May ousted Praful Patel as president of the IAFF for not holding elections that were due by December 2020 and for continuing in the position following that date.

Soccer's world governing body on Monday suspended the IAFF “due to undue influence from third parties."

It said the suspension was effective immediately and that the transgression “constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.”

“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once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF executive committee has been repealed and the AIFF administration regains full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs,” FIFA said.

“FIFA is in constant constructive contact with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India and is hopeful that a positive outcome to the case may still be achieved.”

The FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup is scheduled for Oct. 11-30 in India, with four games on the opening day including India against the United States and Brazil against Morocco in Group A.

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