New Delhi: I-League clubs Saturday stuck to their demand of rescheduling the Super Cup qualifying round matches, but the All India Football Federation rejected it yet again, saying that the main round of the tournament will start as planned from March 29.
AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das had informed the I-League clubs Friday that the federation has accepted their demand of a meeting with president Praful Patel — between April 13 and 15 — to discuss their grievances but made it clear that the Super Cup qualifying round matches will not be rescheduled.
Das had said that the rescheduling of the qualifying round will be against the tournament rules and would be unfair to those clubs which turned up.
Former I-League champions Minerva Punjab and Aizawl FC as well as Gokulam Kerala did not turn up in the qualifying round matches of the Super Cup March 15 and 16 in Bhubaneswar. The I-League clubs had demanded a meeting with Patel before the start of the qualifying round but the acceptance from the AIFF came only Friday.
While accepting the clubs’ demand to meet Patel, the AIFF had told the six I-League sides — Chennai City FC, East Bengal, Neroca FC, Real Kashmir FC, Mohun Bagan and Churchill Brothers — to confirm their participation in the main round of the Super Cup starting March 29 in Bhubaneswar by Saturday.
Replying to the AIFF’s letter, the I-League clubs Saturday stuck to their stand that the Super Cup qualifying round be rescheduled.
“I-League teams designated to play the qualifying rounds viz. Minerva Punjab FC, Gokulam Kerala FC & Aizawl FC in all earnestly were present at Bhubaneswar at the time of the match with readiness to play the match and awaiting only for a nod to an appointment sought with the president,” the letter sent by the I-League clubs said.
The I-League clubs said that “there was no intention to boycott the Super Cup nor its rules but to stand united to get an appointment with the president which was finally achieved by the sacrifice of these three teams”.
“We once again appeal and request you to start the tournament all over again and give us all an opportunity to play in the Super Cup,” they said.
Das, however, said that the AIFF has no plans to reschedule the qualifying matches and the main round will go ahead March 29.
PTI