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A three-member panel of the Supreme Court to manage the affairs of the AIFF !!

Published

3 years ago

May 21, 2022

Editor

Manage the affairs of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and execute its mandate in accordance with the National Sports Code. The Supreme Court has appointed a three-member executive committee (CoA) headed by former Supreme Court Judge AR Dave. Apart from retired Supreme Court Judge Dave, former Election Commissioner Dr SY Qureshi and former captain of the Indian football team Bhaskar Ganguly are members of the three-member panel.

The Supreme Court has directed the three-member panel to hold the AIFFs responsible for providing guidance and assistance to the judiciary in enforcing the AIFF Act in accordance with the National Games Code and Model, as the Federation is currently not under formal administration.

The Supreme Court has directed the COA to comply with the statutes of the AIFF and instructed Qureshi and Ganguly’s member committee to prepare the voter list for holding elections to the AIFF to appoint an executive committee. The Supreme Court has allowed the COA to seek the assistance of the Federation’s old committee to conduct matches and select players.

The apex court explained that the three-member panel was set up temporarily to facilitate the conduct of elections and the transfer of responsibilities to the democratically elected body, according to the constitution.

The Supreme Court on May 12 agreed to hear the Delhi Football Association’s appeal against Praful Patel, who has been AIFF chief for more than a decade. The Sports Ministry had earlier filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that Patel could not continue as AIFF chief and that he had already served three terms and that the election for the national body should be held without delay.

In 2017, the Delhi High Court rejected Patel’s election as AIFF chief (in the 2016 AGM) on a petition filed by senior advocate Rahul Mehra. But the Supreme Court overturned the High Court ruling, allowing Patel to continue in his post, appointing Qureshi and Ganguly as executives and creating the AIFF constitution. However, in 2020, after Patel’s 12-year term ended, the AIFF ceased to hold elections.

The Supreme Court has appointed a panel of three to look into the matter.

However, FIFA might have suspended AIFF as the member association calls the COA’s action a third-party intervention.

That means India could face problems in the Women’s Under-17 World Cup to be held from October 11 to 30 and the qualifying matches for the 2023 Asian Cup to be held in Kolkata next month.

AIFFහි කටයුතු කළමනාකරණය කිරීමට ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයෙන් ත්‍රිපුද්ගල කමිටුවක්…

සමස්ත ඉන්දීය පාපන්දු සම්මේලනයේ (AIFF) කටයුතු කළමනාකරණය කිරීම සහ ජාතික ක්‍රීඩා සංග්‍රහයට අනුකූලව එහි ව්‍යවස්ථාව සම්මත කිරීම සඳහා හිටපු ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ විනිසුරු AR Dave මහතාගේ ප්‍රධානත්වයෙන් යුත් ත්‍රිපුද්ගල පරිපාලක කමිටුවක් (CoA) ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් ඉකුත් බදාදා පත් කර තිබේ. විශ්‍රාමික ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ විනිසුරු Daveට අමතරව හිටපු මැතිවරණ කොමසාරිස් ආචාර්ය SY කුරේෂි සහ ඉන්දීය පාපන්දු කණ්ඩායමේ හිටපු නායක භාස්කර් ගංගුලි ද මෙම ත්‍රිපුද්ගල කමිටුවේ සාමාජිකයෝ වෙති.

වත්මන් තත්ත්වය සම්මේලනයේ නිසි පාලනයට හිතකර නොවන බැවින් ජාතික ක්‍රීඩා සංග්‍රහයට සහ ආදර්ශ මාර්ගෝපදේශයන්ට අනුකූලව AIFFහි ව්‍යවස්ථාව සම්මත කර ගැනීමට පහසුකම් සැලසීම සඳහා සහ අධිකරණයට සහාය වීම සඳහා AIFFහි කළමනාකාරිත්වය භාර ගැනීමට ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් මෙම ත්‍රිපුද්ගල කමිටුවට නියෝග කර තිබේ.

AIFF හි විධායක කමිටුවේ මැතිවරණ පැවැත්වීමේ අරමුණු සඳහා ඡන්ද හිමි නාමලේඛන සැකසීමේදී කුරේෂි සහ ගංගුලිගේ ද්වි පුද්ගල කමිටුවේ ව්‍යවස්ථාවට අනුව සකසන මෙන් CoA වෙත ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය දන්වා ඇත. තරගාවලි පැවැත්වීමේදී සහ ක්‍රීඩකයන් තේරීමේදී සම්මේලනයේ පැරණි කමිටුවේ සහය ලබා ගැනීමට ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් COA වෙත අවසර දී තිබේ.

ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය පැහැදිලි කළේ ව්‍යවස්ථාවට අනුකූලව මැතිවරණ පැවැත්වීම සහ ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදීව තේරී පත් වූ ආයතනයකට කටයුතු පැවරීම පහසු කිරීම සඳහා මෙම ත්‍රිපුද්ගල කමිටුව තාවකාලිකව පිහිට වූ බවයි.

දශකයකට වැඩි කාලයක් AIFF හි සභාපති ලෙස කටයුතු කළ ප්‍රෆුල් පටෙල්ට එරෙහිව ඇති දිල්ලි පාපන්දු සමාජයේ අභියාචනයක් විභාග කිරීමට මැයි 12 දා ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය එකඟ වී ඇත. මීට පෙර, ක්‍රීඩා අමාත්‍යාංශය ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයට දිවුරුම් ප්‍රකාශයක් ගොනු කරමින් කියා සිටියේ පටෙල්ට AIFF සභාපතිවරයා ලෙස දිගටම කටයුතු කිරීමට වරමක් නොමැති බවත් ඔහු දැනටමත් වාර තුනක් සේවය කර ඇති බවත් ජාතික ආයතනයේ නිලවරණය තවදුරටත් ප්‍රමාදයකින් තොරව පැවැත්විය යුතු බවත්ය. 2017 දී දිල්ලි මහාධිකරණය විසින් AIFF සභාපති ලෙස පටෙල් තේරී පත්වීම (2016 AGM හි) ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ අධිනීතිඥ රාහුල් මෙහ්රා විසින් කරන ලද පෙත්සමක් මත ප්‍රතික්ෂේප කරන ලදී. එහෙත් ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය මහාධිකරණ තීන්දුව අත්හිටුවා, පටෙල්ට ඔහුගේ භූමිකාව දිගටම කරගෙන යාමට ඉඩ සලසමින්, කුරේෂි සහ ගංගුලි පරිපාලකයන් ලෙස පත් කර AIFF ව්‍යවස්ථාව සම්පාදනය කළේය. කෙසේවෙතත් 2020 දී පටෙල්ගේ වසර 12 ක නිල කාලය අවසන් වීමෙන් පසු AIFF මැතිවරණයක් නොපවත්වා ක්‍රියාත්මක විය.

එම කරුණු සලකා බලමින් ගරු ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් මෙම ත්‍රිපුද්ගල කමිටුව පත්කර තිබේ.

කෙසේ වෙතත් ජාත්‍යන්තර ආයතනය විසින් CoAහි ක්‍රියාමාර්ග ක්‍රීඩාව පවත්වාගෙන යාමේදී තුන්වන පාර්ශ්වයේ මැදිහත්වීමක් ලෙස අර්ථකථනය කරන්නේ නම්, ඉන්දියාවට ජාත්‍යන්තර පාපන්දු ක්‍රීඩාව තාවකාලිකව නැවැත්වීමට සිදුවිය හැක.

එයින් අදහස් වන්නේ ඔක්තෝබර් 11 සිට 30 දක්වා පැවැත්වීමට නියමිත වයස අවුරුදු 17 න් පහළ කාන්තා ලෝක කුසලානය සහ ලබන මාසයේ කොල්කටා හි පැවැත්වීමට නියමිත 2023 ආසියානු කුසලාන සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරග සම්බන්ධයෙන් ඉන්දියාව අවදානම්සහගත තත්ත්වයක සිටින බවයි.

AIFF இன் விவகாரங்களை நிர்வகிப்பதற்கு உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தின் மூன்று பேர் கொண்ட குழு!!

அகில இந்திய கால்பந்து சம்மேளனத்தின் (AIFF) விவகாரங்களை நிர்வகிக்கவும், தேசிய விளையாட்டுக் குறியீட்டின்படி அதன் யாப்பை நிறைவேற்றவும். முன்னாள் உச்ச நீதிமன்ற நீதிபதி ஏ.ஆர்.டேவ் தலைமையிலான மூன்று பேர் கொண்ட நிர்வாகக் குழுவை (CoA) உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் நியமித்துள்ளது. ஓய்வுபெற்ற உச்ச நீதிமன்ற நீதிபதி டேவ் தவிர, முன்னாள் தேர்தல் ஆணையர் டாக்டர் SY .குரேஷி, இந்திய கால்பந்தாட்ட அணியின் முன்னாள் கேப்டன் பாஸ்கர் கங்குலி ஆகியோரும் 3 பேர் கொண்ட குழுவில் உறுப்பினர்களாக உள்ளனர்.

தற்போது சம்மேளனம் முறையான நிர்வாகத்தின் கீழ் இல்லாததால், தேசிய விளையாட்டுக் குறியீடு மற்றும் மாதிரியின்படி AIFF யாப்பை நிறைவேற்றுவதற்கு ஏதுவாக வழிகாட்டல்கள் மற்றும் நீதித்துறைக்கு உதவுதல் ஆகியவற்றுக்காக AIFF இன் நிர்வாகத்தை பொருப்பேற்குமாறு உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் இந்த மூன்று உறுப்பினர் குழுவுக்கு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

AIFF இன் செயற்குழுவிற்கு தேர்தல் நடத்துவதற்காக வாக்காளர் பட்டியலை தயாரிப்பதில் குரேஷி மற்றும் கங்குலியின் உறுப்பினர் குழுவின் யாப்பிற்கு இணங்குமாறு உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் COA க்கு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது. போட்டிகளை நடத்துவதற்கும், வீரர்களை தேர்வு செய்வதற்கும் கூட்டமைப்பின் பழைய கமிட்டியின் உதவியை நாட COAக்கு உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் அனுமதி அளித்துள்ளது.

யாப்பின் படி தேர்தலை நடத்துவதற்கும், ஜனநாயக முறைப்படி தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்பட்ட அமைப்பிற்கு பொறுப்புகளை வழங்குவதற்கும் வசதியாக மூவர் கொண்ட குழு தற்காலிகமாக அமைக்கப்பட்டது என்று உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் விளக்கமளித்துள்ளது.

பத்தாண்டுகளுக்கும் மேலாக AIFF தலைவராக இருந்த பிரபுல் படேலுக்கு எதிராக டெல்லி கால்பந்தாட்ட கழகம் செய்த மேல்முறையீட்டை மே 12 அன்று விசாரிக்க உச்சநீதிமன்றம் ஒப்புக்கொண்டது. முன்னதாக AIFF தலைவராக படேலுக்கு நீடிக்க முடியாது என்றும், அவர் ஏற்கனவே மூன்று முறை பதவி வகித்துவிட்டார் என்றும், தேசிய நிறுவனத்திற்கான தேர்தலை தாமதமின்றி நடத்த வேண்டும் என்றும் விளையாட்டுதுறை அமைச்சு உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் பிரமாணப் பத்திரம் தாக்கல் செய்தது.

2017 ஆம் ஆண்டில், மூத்த வழக்கறிஞர் ராகுல் மெஹ்ரா தாக்கல் செய்த மனுவின் பேரில், AIFF தலைவராக (2016 AGM இல்) படேலின் தெரிவை டெல்லி உயர்நீதிமன்றம் நிராகரித்தது. ஆனால் உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் உயர் நீதிமன்றத் தீர்ப்பை ரத்து செய்தது, படேல் தனது பதவியை தொடர அனுமதித்தது, குரேஷி மற்றும் கங்குலியை நிர்வாகிகளாக நியமித்து AIFF யாப்பை உருவாக்கியது. இருப்பினும், 2020 இல், படேலின் 12 ஆண்டு பதவிக்காலம் முடிவடைந்த பிறகு, AIFF தேர்தலை நடத்தாமல் செயல்பட்டது.

உச்சநீதிமன்றம் அந்த விடயங்களைக் கருத்தில் கொண்டு இந்த மூவர் குழுவை நியமித்துள்ளது.

இருப்பினும், சர்வதேச சம்மளனம் COA இன் நடவடிக்கையை மூன்றாம் தரப்பு தலையீடு என என்னும் பட்சத்தில் இந்தியா சர்வதேச கால்பந்தாட்ட போட்டிகளை இடைநிறுத்த வேண்டிய நிலமை உருவாகலாம்.

அதாவது அக்டோபர் 11 முதல் 30 வரை நடைபெற உள்ள 17 வயதுக்குட்பட்டோருக்கான மகளிர் உலகக் கோப்பை மற்றும் 2023ஆம் ஆண்டு நடைபெறவுள்ள ஆசியக் கோப்பைக்காக கொல்கத்தாவில் அடுத்த மாதம் நடைபெறவுள்ள தகுதிச் சுற்று ஆட்டங்களில் இந்தியாவுக்கு பிரச்சினை ஏற்படலாம் என சுட்டிக்காட்டப்படுகிறது.

Cricket

Stephen Fleming Defends MS Dhoni’s Batting Position Amid Criticism

Published

6 hours ago

March 31, 2025

Editor

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has defended MS Dhoni’s late entry in the batting order, stating that the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman cannot play an extended innings at full intensity due to lingering knee concerns.

The 43-year-old Dhoni faced criticism after coming in at No. 9 during CSK’s 50-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk. In the next match against Rajasthan Royals on March 30, 2025, he batted at No. 7 when CSK required 54 off 25 balls but managed just 16 off 11 as his team fell short by six runs.

Fleming’s Explanation on Dhoni’s Role

Fleming emphasized that Dhoni carefully assesses the match situation before deciding when to bat.

“It’s all about timing. MS judges his body and situation. His knees aren’t what they used to be, so he can’t bat for 10 overs at full intensity. He will step in based on the game’s demands,” Fleming explained at the post-match press conference.

The CSK coach reiterated that Dhoni remains too valuable to the team for his leadership and wicketkeeping and that sending him in too early could be a strategic misstep.

“From around the 13th or 14th over, he assesses the situation and decides. He trusts other batters early on but steps up when needed.”

CSK’s Struggles in the Powerplay Cost Them the Match

Fleming also pinpointed CSK’s poor powerplay performance as a key reason for their loss against Rajasthan Royals. While RR blasted 79/1 in the powerplay, CSK only managed 42/1,

Cricket

Inaugural ‘Battle of Green’ Set to Ignite a New School Cricket Rivalry

Published

2 days ago

March 29, 2025

Editor

Cricket enthusiasts in Mirigama and Giriulla are in for an exciting showdown as D.S. Senanayake College, Mirigama, and Wickramshila National School, Giriulla, prepare to launch their first-ever “Battle of Green” big match.

This historic encounter will take place at the Mirigama Public Grounds, marking the beginning of a thrilling annual rivalry between the two schools. Fans from both towns are expected to gather in large numbers, adding to the electric atmosphere of this inaugural clash.

The introduction of the Battle of Green is a significant milestone for school cricket in the region, providing a platform for young cricketers to showcase their talent while fostering sportsmanship and competitive spirit.

Stay tuned for match updates, player insights, and exclusive coverage on Sri Lankan Sports TV.

Football

Sri Lankan Football in Crisis: Corruption, Mismanagement, and a Forgotten Future

Published

4 days ago

March 27, 2025

Editor

Sri Lankan football is facing an unprecedented crisis, with corruption, financial mismanagement, and neglect threatening to erase any hope for the sport’s future. Despite repeated warnings, investigations, and calls for reform, the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) under its current leadership has continued to operate with impunity, ignoring the development of local players while prioritizing foreign-born recruits.

Audit Findings Ignored – Where is the Accountability?

The Ministry of Sports’ audit report uncovered multiple financial discrepancies within FFSL, yet no action has been taken to rectify them. The Finance Committee raised critical concerns, including:

Unpaid Media Rights Payment of USD 10,000
- A missing payment for SAFF Sri Lanka match media rights, with public service media confirming they never received the funds.
- The Finance Committee instructed immediate resolution, yet no updates have been provided.
Unresolved Zolo Football Purchase
- FFSL paid LKR 12,775,000 for Zolo footballs from Ceylon Professional Sports Management (CPSM) without a financial guarantee, violating tender procedures.
- The Finance Committee recommended either securing the footballs or recovering the funds, with escalation to the CID if unresolved. No progress has been reported.
Unpaid Sponsorship Payment of USD 30,000
- Sponsorship funds from Public Service Media (PSM) for the Mahinda Rajapaksa Trophy remain unaccounted for.
- Despite instructions to resolve the matter, FFSL has failed to provide any updates.

FFSL’s Downward Spiral – A Lost Generation of Footballers

While Sri Lanka’s football governance remains plagued by corruption, the country’s domestic football structure has completely collapsed. There have been no domestic tournaments since 2022, depriving young players of a pathway to professional football. Despite over 42,000 active school-level players across 600 schools, FFSL has failed to support grassroots development, instead using school tournaments for branding while parents bear the costs.

Rather than investing in homegrown talent, the FFSL has prioritized recruiting foreign-based players to represent Sri Lanka’s national team. The current squad is unrecognizable, with only captain Sujan Perera representing local talent. Critics argue that these foreign recruits, most of whom play in third or fourth-tier leagues abroad, are using Sri Lankan representation to boost their own careers while the nation’s domestic football stagnates.

Sri Lanka’s Footballing Reputation in Tatters

The state of Sri Lankan football reached an embarrassing low during the AFC Cup qualifiers when head coach Abdullah Almutairi received a red card—a rare and humiliating moment in international football. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s FIFA ranking has plummeted from 124th to 200th out of 207, driven by alleged embezzlement of FIFA and AFC funds under successive FFSL presidents.

Unlike successful footballing nations, which integrate foreign-origin players into domestic leagues before calling them up to the national team, Sri Lanka’s approach has been reckless and damaging. The lack of Pro License coaches for the past 30 years has further exacerbated the decline, leaving Sri Lanka lagging behind regional peers like India and the Maldives.

FFSL’s Financial Mismanagement & Political Interference

FFSL has failed to present audited accounts since 2022, with officials suppressing the ministry’s audit report to avoid scrutiny.
Stolen equipment, including Adidas footballs, bags, and boots, has been traced to top FFSL officials, including former national captains and the finance manager. CCTV footage reportedly supports these claims.
Despite widespread allegations, successive sports ministers have turned a blind eye, allowing FFSL officials to manipulate narratives and maintain their grip on power.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 2023-2024 has been postponed until March 2025—deliberately delaying accountability measures.

Will the Government Finally Take Action?

The newly elected government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, campaigned on an anti-corruption platform. Yet, despite the Ministry of Sports uncovering serious financial mismanagement, no action has been taken to hold FFSL accountable.

The time for promises has long passed. If Sri Lanka is to salvage its footballing future, immediate intervention is needed from the government, FIFA, and relevant stakeholders. Failure to act now will not only doom the sport but also betray the thousands of young Sri Lankan footballers who still dream of wearing the national jersey.

The question remains: Will the government finally clean up the mess in Sri Lankan football, or will corruption continue to suffocate the game?