Salgaocar, Sporting withdraw from I-League

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 24

In a shocking decision, two of Indian football’s prestigious clubs, Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa, on Friday decided to pull out of the I-League over the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) decision to recognise the Indian Super League (ISL) as the country’s premier domestic tournament from the 2017-18 season.

Salgaocar and Sporting thus join five other clubs which have withdrawn from the I-League in the last six years, citing the AIFF’s failure and unwillingness to secure the future of the tournament. 

The clubs which have already quit are: Mahindra United, JCT, Royal Wahingdoh, Bharat FC and Pune FC.

There could be more trouble in store for the AIFF as Dempo Sports Club, founded in 1968, is also contemplating withdrawing from from the I-league over the AIFF’s proposed plan to form a three-tier football system from the 2017-18 season. The decision would effectively reduce the I-League to a second division tournament.

If it happens, Goa, a powerhouse of Indian football, will go without representation in the I-League, which has already been reduced to seven clubs after the exit of Salgaocar and Sporting.

The two Goa clubs made their decision public in a joint statement.

“Salgaocar Football Club and Sporting Clube de Goa have deliberated the impact that the May 17 proposal will have on the sport. It is clear that the proposal is highly discriminatory, goes against sporting merit, is unworkable for I-League clubs and hampers Goa, which is the best represented state in the I-League,” the statement read.

“The proposal is heavily biased against the I-League and its clubs. Not only does it relegate the I-League to a second-tier league, it also does away with promotion, thereby replacing merit with a franchise fee as the primary criteria for participating in the league. The ISL would leapfrog the I-League to become the nation’s top league with no relegation. The proposal would promote “pay to play” franchise model with no promotion or relegation. It guarantees the winner of the ISL representation at the AFC level, with the other available spot going to the winner of a tournament that again is heavily skewed in favour of ISL franchises. Therefore, Salgaocar and Sporting have decided to withdraw from the I-League,” the statement added.