AIFF chief Kalyan Chaubey accused of Misconduct by Shaji Prabhakaran, Mail gets Leaked

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Shaji Prabhakaran, former Secretary General of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), has filed a formal complaint against AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, alleging multiple ethical violations.

The complaint, submitted to FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and AIFF's Ethics Committee, highlights serious allegations of misconduct, financial impropriety, and mismanagement.

A mail, sent by Prabhakaran, has leaked on media, which shows the plethora of accusations he made against Chaubey.

Key Allegations Against Kalyan Chaubey by Shaji Prabhakaran

Conflict of Interest

Shaji accused Chaubey of pressuring him to extend a contract with Kaleidoscope Production and Services LLP for broadcasting I-League matches without a proper tender process. Shaji claims that Chaubey has a personal connection with the company, which he failed to disclose.

Causing Financial and Reputational Damage

The complaint outlines various instances where Chaubey's decisions allegedly caused financial losses and harmed AIFF's reputation. These include:

Illegally terminating Shaji as Secretary General, leading to ongoing legal expenses.

Hastily sacking the chief coach without due process, resulting in unnecessary financial payouts.

Making unapproved public announcements, such as charity matches, FIFA partnerships, and the implementation of VAR Lite, none of which materialized.

Misrepresentation and False Claims

Chaubey is accused of altering official meeting records and misinforming committee members. For example, he publicly announced a plan to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2034 with Saudi Arabia, which lacked prior discussions or government approval, causing embarrassment.

Interference in Administrative Matters

Shaji alleges that Chaubey interfered in day-to-day operations, including the controversial I-League broadcasting tender process, disrupting AIFF's functioning and damaging its credibility.

Political Misuse of Position

The complaint also accuses Chaubey of leveraging his role at AIFF to further his political ambitions, a violation of AIFF's ethics code.

"Further, his actions have also damaged the brand values of not only AIFF properties (competitions, national teams, etc.) but also dented the negotiation power of the AIFF with its marketing partner. His actions have possibly resulted in negatively impacting the investors sentiments towards football in India, and this way it is perceived that not only AIFF Marketing Partner lost possible sponsorship revenues but also clubs and other stakeholders have lost attracting commercial revenues," the mail wrote.

Shaji's Call for Action

In his letter, Shaji urged the Ethics Committees of FIFA, AFC, and AIFF to conduct an impartial investigation into Chaubey's alleged actions. He emphasized the need for good governance and accountability to restore faith in Indian football's leadership.

"I request that the Ethics Committee conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into these allegations. I believe that these allegations warrant a full and impartial investigation by the Ethics Committee. I am confident that the Committee
will take appropriate action to ensure the highest ethical standards within the All India Football Federation and this would result in AIFF adopting good governance practices without any delay," a part of the mail quoted.

This complaint comes amidst growing concerns about the state of Indian football, with stakeholders expressing frustration over poor management and declining performances. Shaji's allegations underscore the urgent need for transparency and ethical conduct within the AIFF.