AIFF Removes Secretary General Shaji Prabhakaran Over Trust Deficit

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The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has fired its secretary general, Shaji Prabhakaran, due to a "trust deficit," according to a top official on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey issued Prabhakaran with the termination notice. Prabhakaran was appointed to the high-profile position on September 3, 2022.

"The AIFF president has terminated Prabhakaran." "He is no longer the AIFF Secretary General," AIFF vice-president NA Haris told PTI.

"Deputy secretary general Satyanarayan M will discharge his duties as acting secretary general," the official said.

According to Haris, there is a "trust deficit" between Chaubey and Prabhakaran, and even AIFF executive committee members are dissatisfied with how the fired secretary general operated.

Prabhakaran was appointed during the first executive Committee meeting of the new regime, which assumed office on September 2 following the elections.

He was once the president of Football Delhi. On September 6, 2022, he resigned from that position and took over as AIFF secretary general.

The executive committee has been called to a meeting here on Thursday, and the members are anticipated to be officially informed of the development as well as debate other subjects.

Haris stated that the AIFF executive committee is not required to confirm the president's decision.
"The secretary general's position is a paid one, and he was not appointed by the executive committee." The secretary general is appointed and removed by the president. "As a result, the president issued the termination letter," Haris explained.

This decision appears shrouded in conspiracy

In a letter to the executive committee members, Prabhakaran stated that his removal had no constitutional basis and that he had given his all to the creation of the game.

"According to the AIFF Constitution, only the Executive Committee has the authority to dismiss or terminate the General Secretary." As a result, this firing lacks constitutional legitimacy and Executive Committee approval," he added.

"I must say that there must be some sort of conspiracy behind this decision, which I cannot comprehend." This, I must add, is a completely reckless choice at a time when the AIFF governance issue is still being debated and scrutinised across the board. I worked with complete honesty, and I did not make any decisions that were detrimental to Indian football, and it is a fact that I did not meddle in the decisions of the Judicial Bodies for which I was pressured."