KOLKATA, INDIA: All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey’s bid to liquidate the organisation’s fixed deposits (FDs) to pay for the appearance fees of Brazil and Uruguay have been foiled. As reported by the Times of India, the AIFF executive committee stalled the move, citing that FDs can be liquidated only in an emergency. The assets are said to be worth INR 20 crore.
Mr Chaubey’s decision to invite Panama, Brazil and Uruguay for friendlies earlier this year had drawn a lot of flak from sections of the media, as well as former India striker Bhaichung Bhutia, who had termed the move illogical since it was taking valuable resources away from Indian football’s grassroots. Nonetheless, the president persisted, and the Blue Tigers played all three friendlies, losing two.
Bhutia had claimed that the AIFF was asked to pay INR 50 to 60 crore to Brazil as appearance fees. The numbers were later refuted by the federation – and Bhutia was censured – but the exact figures were not revealed. Now, the Times of India has reported that Brazil are still to be paid about INR 19 crore and Uruguay nearly INR 4.7 crore, with only 50% of their appearance fees paid so far. Panama, thankfully, have been paid in full.
The AIFF failed to generate as much revenue from ticket sales as it had hoped
The report also states that AIFF is expected to return part of the recoupable advance, to the tune of INR 25 crore, to its ticketing partner. But as was visible during the high-profile friendlies, the federation failed to garner interest among Indian football supporters due to the high prices of tickets. As a result, the AIFF could not generate as much revenue from gate money as it had expected.
Mr Chaubey’s decision to invite the South Americans has been criticised in Indian football circles, with pundits going as far as to claim that it may eventually bankrupt the organisation. The wider claim is that while ISL and IFL clubs struggled to stay afloat, Mr Chaubey has chosen to take such a big risk solely as a gimmick to boost his re-election prospects in the AIFF presidential polls later this year.
Incurring debt to fund megalomania is a politician’s prerogative, and Mr Chaubey, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, saw inviting Panama, Brazil and Uruguay as an opportunity to give a shot in the arm to his re-election campaign. However, with Indian football going through its darkest night – Jamshedpur FC were just a symptom – the AIFF boss acted no worse than Nero had when Rome was burning. Many rumours abound that the emperor himself had asked his men to secretly set fire to the city.
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Cover image courtesy: X/gameonbysodhi
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