Kolkata: Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general secretary Dato’ Windsor made it clear Wednesday here that the simultaneous running of the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League this season was just a stop-gap arrangement and the two will be merged together. The merger will definitely give a big boost to Mohun Bagan and East Bengal’s hopes to play in the ISL.
“It’s not a question of what we are favouring or not. It’s in the AFC constitution that one country should have one league. We just gave provision (for two leagues) for a transition period. That’s all,” Windsor told reporters at the Salt Lake Stadium on the sidelines of the England-Brazil FIFA Under-17 World Cup semifinal game here.
“There will be one league for sure. For the time being, because of the situation we had to do it (have two leagues this season),” added the AFC secretary.
Windsor further spoke highly of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal’s contribution to keep India’s football alive.
“We cannot forget their legacies. We are very conscious of their contribution to Indian football. If today football is alive in India, it’s because of these clubs,” Windsor pointed out.
AIFF general secretary Kushal Das, who accompanied Windsor, also said there would be one league from next season but Mohun Bagan and East Bengal will have to pay ‘participation fees’. However he clarified that the participation fee would be different from the franchise fee of Rs 15 crore that ISL clubs pay.
“There will be one league from next season. They have to make a choice. They (Mohun Bagan and East Bengal) have to pay up participation fees. It can’t be compromised,” Das asserted.
