FIFA lifts suspension of Indian Football Federation

FIFA lifted the suspension of the All India Football Federation late Friday, according to a statement.

The decision to lift the suspension “was taken after FIFA received confirmation that the mandate of the committee of administrators that was set up to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee had been terminated and that the AIFF administration had regained full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs,” said the statement.

“FIFA and the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) will continue to monitor the situation and will support the AIFF in organizing its elections in a timely manner.”

The world’s governing football body had recently suspended the AIFF because of “undue influence from third parties” and said India will not be able to host the U-17 Women’s World Cup in October.

But the latest decision said “the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 scheduled to take place on 11-30 October 2022 will be held in India.”

Before the suspension was announced August 16, FIFA had warned AIFF that it may face a ban and be stripped of its right to host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup because of “deviations” from an earlier agreed roadmap that was aimed at addressing governance issues.

AIFF elections were to be held by December 2020.

They were delayed, however, owing to an impasse in finalising its constitution.

India’s Supreme Court disbanded AIFF in May and appointed a three-member committee to govern the sport, amend AIFF’s constitution and conduct elections that have been pending for 18 months.

Members must manage their affairs independently and ensure that its own affairs are not “influenced by third parties,” according to FIFA statutes.

India’s top court earlier this week dissolved the Committee of Administrators, paving the way for FIFA to lift the suspension.