Bhaichung Bhutia Files Nomination For AIFF President; Is He The Favourite?

New Delhi: Suspended by football’s world governing body FIFA because of ‘undue influence’ from third parties, the All India Football Federation is gearing up for elections to set its house in order.

Bhaichung Bhutia, one of India’s greatest footballers, threw his hat in the ring for the president’s post on the last day of filing nominations.

“I have filed my nomination as representative of eminent players. In the wake of Supreme Court’s decision to allow players. I hope the players can have a chance to serve Indian football. We want to show we can be good not only as players but also as administrators,” PTI quoted Bhutia as saying.

The others to have filed nominations are former players Kalyan Chaubey and Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Football Delhi president Shaji Prabhakaran and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s brother Ajit Banerjee.

Bhutia, the first Indian footballer to get 100 international caps, is easily the most high-profile candidate in the race for AIFF president, but he doesn’t seem to be the favourite.

It’s Chaubey who has emerged as frontrunner to occupy the top post in the executive committee elections, scheduled to be held on August 28.

Chaubey, a former India goalkeeper who, like Bhutia played for both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, is a member of the BJP. Significantly, his name was proposed by Gujarat FA and seconded by Arunachal Pradesh FA.

Union Home minister Amit Shah hails from Gujarat, Arunachal’s Kiren Rijiju heads the Law ministry.

Also, Chaubey has filed his nomination as a normal candidate, and not as an eminent player. FIFA is not in favour of country’s apex body being administered by eminent players.

Hours before FIFA slapped the ban on AIFF earlier this week, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) running football in India agreed to hold elections without voting rights to ‘eminent’ players according to the world body’s wish.

It will be an important election for Indian football as FIFA has said scheduled events like the U-17 Women’s World Cup can’t be held unless the AIFF administration — rather than Court-appointed committee of administrators — has full control over the organization’s day-to-day operations.

Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium was named to host India’s group league matches.

Their hopes rest on the Union government taking adequate steps to ensure that FIFA lifts its ban.