AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey accused of Harassment by Churchill Brothers' Valanka Alemao, AIFF Hit Back with Allegations

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The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been plunged into a high-stakes scandal following explosive allegations of harassment levelled by Women's Committee Chairperson Valanka Alemao against AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey.

The fallout has sparked a public war of words, exposing a deep-seated rift within the country's football governing body.

"Heckled and Harassed": The Allegations against Chaubey

In a scathing letter addressed to the Executive Committee, Alemao-who also serves as the CEO of I-League side Churchill Brothers-claimed she was subjected to a "disgusting" display of intimidation during a Sunday meeting in New Delhi.

She accused Chaubey, Vice President N.A. Haris, and Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan of aggressively attempting to silence her.

"I wish to place on record the entirely disgusting behaviour of the AIFF President... I feel deeply prejudiced and I found that several attempts were made by the President to suppress my voice," Alemao alleged.

She further claimed that the officials used an "intimidating tone" and "disrespectful remarks" to drown out her concerns regarding the mismanagement of the women's national team, specifically citing the "ill-fitting kits" and coaching chaos during the recent AFC Qualifiers in Australia.

The AIFF Strikes Back: A "Sustained Pressure" Campaign?

Refusing to retreat, the AIFF issued a blistering rebuttal, categorically rejecting the claims. The federation accused Alemao of using harassment allegations as a smokescreen for a failed attempt to force her club into the elite Indian Super League (ISL).

The AIFF alleged that between January and February 2026, Alemao and her family exerted "sustained pressure" on the federation to secure ISL promotion for Churchill Brothers through "exceptional means," despite a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling awarding the promotion spot to Inter Kashi.

"Ms. Alemao repeatedly attempted to influence proceedings during official meetings with the objective of securing the inclusion of her club in the ISL," the AIFF stated, adding that the federation could not accommodate the request due to "existing rules, regulations, and commitments made to stakeholders."

As the governing body stands firm on its promotion criteria, the ugly public spat has left Indian football in a state of administrative paralysis, as Indian football continues to find avenues to tarnish itself.