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India's legendary footballer Bhaichung Bhutia welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to disband the Committee of Administrators (CoA) in a bid to 'salvage' the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and to help revoke the FIFA ban on the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
"Today's SC decision was in the interest of Indian football and not for any party or the other. The first priority was the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, that's a prestige issue for India. The second is the lifting of the ban on India," Bhutia said on the sidelines of the launch of the Bangla Soccer League in Kolkata on Monday, August 22.
"The priority for all of us — players, CoA, state associations — is to ensure the hosting of the (Women's U-17) World Cup and the ban is lifted," he added.
A bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna terminated the CoA, with the day-to-day management handed to the AIFF administration led by the acting secretary general. It also added that the executive council for the upcoming elections shall be 23 members — 17 members to be elected by the electoral college and six members to be drawn from eminent former players.
Bhutia, a talisman of the national team during his illustrious career, had filed his nomination papers for the AIFF president's post but, after Monday's Supreme Court decision, the whole poll process will start again.
Asked if he was disappointed that the SC decision has left the ex-players out of the electoral college, the former captain said, "Yes, I had appealed that players should also be represented (in the General Assembly). But the priority at this moment is to make sure that the ban is revoked and U-17 Women's World Cup is held.
"The players will keep on fighting, keep on appealing to the federation, to the sports ministry and the Supreme Court that when the constitution of the AIFF is framed in future, the ex-footballers should also get voting rights. They can contribute in administration and decision-making. For the last 75 years, we have not seen any footballer becoming president of not even a state association, leave alone the AIFF. The players have given their blood and sweat for the country."
The 45-year-old, who has played over 100 matches for India between 1995 and 2011, said there were a lot of great footballers who could have become great administrators.
"In future also, if you look at the players, the likes of Gurpreet Sandhu, Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan can also look to get into administration and not just coaches. It's important to encourage ex-footballers to come into just not coaches but to administration also so that their voices can be heard to develop the game of football."
Bhutia welcomed the move to nominate six former players — four male and two female — to the executive committee of the AIFF, "It is a welcome move but we want more than just being nominated members. We want to be members of the AIFF General Body and get voting rights."
