Sporting Clube de Goa, Salgaocar want all I-League teams as part of ISL

ByArun S Kaimal, SportsCafe Editor

07/02/2016

Sporting Club de Goa and Salgaocar have stuck firmly to their decision of pulling out from the I-League and have laid down three demands before the AIFF, if they have to reconsider their decision. The clubs have told that all current I-League clubs should be part of the top tier in the new format.

Shocked by the withdrawal of the Goan clubs from the I-League last month, top officials of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and IMG-Reliance, organisers of the Indian Super League, met with the owners of Salgaocar and Sporting Clube de Goa along with Dempo chairman Srinivas Dempo on Friday in a bid to pacify the Goan clubs. However, the Goan clubs stuck to their decision and laid forward three demands in front of the AIFF.

In a joint statement by the clubs (Salgaocar FC & Sporting Clube de Goa), they mentioned the points put forward by them.

1. No forced relegation of the I-league to a second-tier league from the nation’s premier competition. All teams qualified for the I-League should be part of the top league.

2. No bidding & no franchise fees for existing I-League clubs, merit being the only qualifying factor.

3. All governance issues should rest with AIFF exclusively.

Also read: Does the AIFF's 3-tier plan actually signal a turn for the better in Indian football?

After hearing the points from the clubs, AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das agreed to call a meeting of all I-League clubs in order to elicit their views on the matter. The AIFF also agreed to revert back with a final binding proposal on or before July 31st after consulting all the stakeholders.

But, Salgaocar and Sporting Clube de Goa confirmed that their decision to withdrew stands “unless they receive a final binding proposal/roadmap which includes the 3 points”.

Also read : I-League | Shrinivas Dempo on a mission to convince Goan clubs from ditching league