Bhutia and former players call for reforms after FIFA ban on All India Football Federation

Bengaluru, August 16: While many Indian football greats including Bhaichung Bhutia have termed the FIFA's decision to ban All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) very harsh, they are also seeing the positive sides of it to to get the country's sport in order.

India was suspended by football's global governing body -- FIFA -- for undue influence from third parties, the development jeopardising the country's prospects of hosting the Under-17 Women's World Cup, scheduled to be held from from October 11 to 30.

"Very unfortunate that FIFA has banned Indian football and at the same time I feel it's a very harsh decision of FIFA to ban Indian football," Bhutia, one of the sport's icons in the country, told PTI news agency.

FIFA suspends All India Football Federation; U-17 Women's World Cup in doubt

"But at the same time time I feel it's a great opportunity for us to get our system right. It's very important that all the stakeholders -- the federation, the state associations, to come together and get the system right and everybody work for the betterment of Indian football," the Sikkimese sniper added.

FIFA said the suspension was effective immediately and that the transgression - constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes. This is the first time the AIFF has been banned by FIFA in its 85 year history.

The AIFF ran into trouble after former president Praful Patel stayed in office beyond his term with the Supreme Court ruling it invalid and ousting him from the post. The SC had placed the AIFF under a Committee of Administrators (CoA).

A team of FIFA-AFC had visited the country from June 21 to 23 after which the game's global governing body had set strict deadlines to approve the new constitution by July 31 and hold elections by September 15.

Meanwhile, former India star Shabbir Ali called it extremely unfortunate and a massive setback for Indian football.

"Whatever has happened is extremely unfortunate and it's a setback for Indian football. That said, I'm hopeful that the suspension will be lifted sooner than later once the elections are held, which FIFA has categorically mentioned as well," he said.

"The U-17 Women's World Cup should be held in India and I'm optimistic that things will fall in place and India won't be robbed off the showpiece event," added the Dhyan Chand Awardee.

The FIFA though has not closed all options for India as it said it is in talks with the sports ministry and hopeful of a positive outcome regarding the women's age group showpiece event.

Former player Mehtab Hossain blamed those running football in the country for the setback.

"Both the former officials and the CoA should be blamed squarely for this fiasco. When FIFA instructed the officials to conduct an election as soon as possible and put the house in order, what were we waiting for? We took our own sweet time and now we've to pay the ultimate price," Mehtab said.

"Neither the former bosses nor anyone from the CoA will suffer now. It's the players, fans who will be dealt with a severe blow. It's a huge blow for Indian football," he added.

The sports ministry had filed an application in the Supreme Court, seeking a modification to its August 5 order on the grounds that FIFA was not in favour of individual membership in the AIFF.

But, FIFA re-iterated its stand to sports ministry and issued the statement to ban AIFF after that.