Decision on AIFF ban on July 15

The Asian Football Confederation will give its final verdict on July 15 on the one-year ban slapped on the All Indian Football Federation affiliates on hosting foreign teams following the on-field violence and subsequent abandonment of the IFA Shield final in 2001.

The findings of the three-member committee constituted by the AIFF have been submitted to the AFC, which will take a final decision on the issue at its meeting in Kuala Lumpur, AIFF president Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi told newspersons in Kolkata on Tuesday.

The AFC had asked AIFF to set up the committee to probe the circumstances leading to player violence, in which a number of footballers of East Bengal and Brazilian club Palmeiras were injured on October 7, 2001, forcing the referee to abandon the tie.

Days after the aborted final, the IFA disqualified Palmeiras and awarded the championship to East Bengal, prompting the visitors to move FIFA, the game's world governing body, which referred the matter to AFC.

Acting on an AFC directive, the AIFF appointed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranganath Mishra, senior advocate R K Anand and the Sports Editor of English daily The Pioneer as members of the panel, which, in its report, held the Brazilian side responsible for the violence and subsequent abandonment of the match.

Meanwhile, incensed at AIFF's delay in submitting the report, the AFC struck hard on December 11 last year, imposing a fine of US $5,000 on the AIFF and slapping a one-year ban on its affiliates on hosting international tournaments.

Dasmunshi said henceforth the AIFF will depute a technical-cum-legal observer at each of the all-India tournaments to keep vigil on proceedings.

Asked whether the AIFF has plans to make coach license mandatory for those in charge of National League teams, Dasmunshi said, "Till today, this is not mandatory. But I have proposed that the performance of coaches who recently completed the AFC A license course be monitored during the coming NFL."

He said the AIFF would take up the matter during its executive committee meeting in July.

However, he ruled out conducting any short-term courses to benefit "individuals" who are coaching NFL sides without possessing any recognised certificates.