Igor Stimac 'Intentionally Misrepresented Facts' to Gain Sympathy, Claims AIFF In Its Counter Statement

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The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has issued a counter-statement in response to the recent claims made by Igor Stimac, the now-dismissed national coach, accusing the organisation of failing to uphold promises and misrepresenting facts.

The AIFF firmly contended that Stimac’s statements are an attempt to malign the federation and mislead the public after the 56-year-old Croatian coach made some alarming statements against the football body for failing to keep their promises during his five-year tenure.

AIFF Responds to Stimac's Allegations

"We have noted the comments made by Mr. Igor Stimac, former Head Coach of the National Team, to the media last week," the AIFF stated. "Mr. Stimac’s communication – apparently made with the sole intent of maligning the AIFF and showing its personnel in poor light – is not befitting of a professional who has served the organisation for over 5 years."

Contractual Disputes and Severance Pay Claims

Stimac, dismissed after a series of poor performances by the national team in the year, including a disappointing AFC Asian Cup campaign and subsequent FIFA World Cup Qualifiers exit, accused the AIFF of not honouring promises, including a severance pay he claimed was guaranteed in his contract. He stated that his contract's premature cancellation deprived him of a severance package potentially worth Rs 6 crore.

In stark contrast, the AIFF emphasised that Stimac’s contract contained an exit clause favorable to the federation. "The executed contract provides for a salary raise to US$ 30,000 per month from February 2024-January 2025 and US$ 40,000 per month from February 2024-January 2026. The specific instructions regarding inserting termination clauses favourable to AIFF were also not followed before executing the contract. However, certain clauses for termination for cause were retained in the contract," claimed the AIFF.

Stimac’s grievances included complaints about the AIFF's lack of support, inadequate facilities, and unprofessionalism, particularly citing the federation's failure to provide promised severance pay. "I told (AIFF secretary general) Satya I am negotiating with two parties for jobs in the future, so until the end of the month, I will accept one of the offers and you won’t have to pay more than one (month’s) salary. The next day I received the termination letter on email," Stimac recounted.

The AIFF rebutted these claims, highlighting their continuous support and engagement with Stimac. "During his tenure, Mr. Stimac was provided complete support by the AIFF. The AIFF President had five meetings with him in 18 months. Mr. Stimac was never denied access to any AIFF official," the statement read.

Furthermore, the AIFF dismissed Stimac’s assertions regarding inadequate resources, such as the missing GPS vests, by claiming the circumstances under which the equipment was lost and promptly replaced. "The team’s GPS equipment was lost by the airline in transit during team’s travel in September 2023. When it became clear that recovery was unlikely, new devices were ordered and arrived in India in March 2024."

Criticism of AIFF Personnel

The federation also addressed Stimac’s criticism of AIFF personnel, including AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey and Vice President NA Haris, countering that such statements were attempts to deflect blame. "Mr. Stimac’s conduct combined with the waning performance of the national team made the status quo unsustainable," AIFF asserted.

The AIFF concluded by adding that their decision to part ways with Stimac was in the best interest of Indian football, aiming to move forward and continue developing the sport in the country. "The AIFF had to act in the national interest and to ensure the game moves forward in the country," they stated.