By Samindra Kunti
May 4 – In what must be one of the most bizarre football threats of all time, newly crowned Indian champions Aizawl FC – who have fallen out with the All India Football Federation over the proposed merger between the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I-League – have threatened to go on a hunger strike.
Last weekend the club from Mizoram won a stupendous first league title. It was a fairytale story of Leicester City proportions as Aizawl FC were relegated last season, but then reinstated to the I-league to expand the competition to ten franchises as the Goan contingent had dropped out.
Their win created a buzz around Indian football, with fans from across the country rooting for the underdog. The story was lapped up in the media and online, but at Dwarka House, the AIFF’s HQ, there was no palpable excitement.
Indian football’s governing body has been in talks with the three bigwigs of the I-League – Bengaluru FC, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal – over a new domestic top flight structure that would also include the eight ISL franchises. Aizawl’s surprising league title has however complicated the negotiations.
“We have already written to the AIFF claiming a place in the new merged new league,” said Aizawl’s owner Robert Royte. “Till now we’ve received no response. Being the champions in the top national league, if any team is demoted to the 2nd division, naturally that will invite protests of all kinds. Anything can happen.”
“Look, even if Aizawl FC do not play in the country’s top league, it doesn’t mean that the road ends for them,” said AIFF general secretary Kushal Das. “They can still play in the second division, and continue to grow their club there. We will show even the second division matches live on television, and not just the top league. So, Aizawl FC need not lose heart even if they are not part of the league.”
The AIFF’s stance has not gone down well with the Indian champions. Earlier this year IMG-Reliance officials were elevated to key committees at the AIFF, suggesting that the governing body has ceded too much power to its marketing and sponsor agency. IMG-Reliance wants to retain the ISL as India’s top league, excluding the vast majority of cash-poor I-League clubs, including Aizawl. The AIFF are in a catch-22 situation now: they must balance the interests of their commercial partners with the wishes of Aizawl, whose historic winning spree has taken the domestic game by storm.
The dichotomy between India’s twin leagues has long been problematic for the development of the game, but Aizawl’s rise has further highlighted the issue: will the champions of India have to play in the second division next season?
“Our initial line of action is to appeal to the AIFF to enable Aizawl FC to remain in the new merged entity,” remarked Royte. “We hope AIFF will do the needful to prevent Aizawl’s exclusion from the top division.”
But Royte didn’t rule out more extreme measures. “We will have people fasting unto death,” said the 50-year-old.
“Because there will already be big processions in Yangon (Myanmar) and in and around FIFA headquarters, even in Maryland of USA. A list of volunteers have already submitted their names. We also have protests targeting the AFC headquarters (Kuala Lumpur). Even many fans in other cities of India are united for our cause.”
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