In Brief
The Supreme Court approved a comprehensive reformed Constitution for the All India Football Federation (AIFF) following a decade-long legal battle over governance standards. The Court directed AIFF to adopt the Constitution within four weeks. Key reforms approved include mandating inclusion of 15 eminent players (5 female minimum) in the general body with voting rights, reducing eligibility criteria to 5 international matches (men) and 2 (women), increasing Vice-Presidents to three (one female), requiring government approval for public servants, modifying criminal disqualification to require conviction (not mere charges), extending governance standards to state associations, implementing promotion-relegation principles, and requiring Supreme Court approval for future constitutional amendments. The current executive committee was deemed permanent. The judgment emphasizes sports as vehicles for national cohesion and reaffirms that professional, transparent administration is essential for Indian football's development.
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