Srinagar: In a major decision to revive activities of J&K Football Association (JKFA) and bring J&K Football back on track, All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided to form normalisation committe for JKFA elections.
AIFF Executive Committee met at the Football House, New Delhi on Monday, April 7, 2025, to discuss various issues includng JKFA Elections and also the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) proposal given to the federation by Football Sports Development Ltd.
AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey chaired the meeting, which was attended by Vice President NA Haris, Treasurer Kipa Ajay, Deputy Secretary General Satyanarayan M, along with members Arif Ali, GP Palguna, Lalnghinglova Hmar, Menla Ethenpa, Mohan Lal, Neibou Sekhose, Syed Husnain Naqvi, Syed Imtiaz Hussain, Valanka Alemao, Vijay Bali, Thongam Tababi Devi, Pinky Bompal Magar, Shabbir Ali,
Bhaichung Bhutia, and Climax Lawrence.
The Executive Committee suggested that a Normalisation Committee be formed that will expedite the conduct of elections in the Jammu & Kashmir Football Association and the Tamil Nadu Football Association, AIFF statement said.
JKFA has been without elected body since early 2022. Initially affairs were handled by un-elected officials during the period while as later AIFF handed affairs to J&K Sports Council.
Recently, AIFF President Kalyan Chuabey on a personal visit to Kashmir held meetings with various stakeholders to sort out issues pertaining to JKFA elections. This notification and decision seem outcome of those meetings.
Meanwhile AIFF committee deliberated in detail about the MRA, and decided to form an eight-member task force to look into the MRA negotiations with FSDL. The task force will consist of the AIFF President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Finance Committee, and the Chairperson of the League Committee.
Arjuna awardee Mr. Subrata Paul, the Director of National Teams, submitted a report on India’s ‘AFC Asian Cup 2027’ Final Round Qualifier against Bangladesh held on March 25, 2025 at Shillong.
The committee proposed a set of communications guidelines be set for all AIFF affairs, including national teams.
The house further proposed to appoint a spokesperson, who would be authorised to issue statements on behalf of the AIFF.
Shri Kalyan Chaubey proposed that two renowned coaches – Mr. Bimal Ghosh and Mr. Armando Colaco – who were recently conferred with the Dronacharya Award, be nominated as advisors to the AIFF President. Mr. Ghosh and Mr. Colaco, in coordination with Technical Director Mr. Syed Sabir Pasha, National Teams Director Mr. Subrata Paul, Technical Committee Chairperson Mr. IM Vijayan, Padmashree Awardee, and Deputy Chairperson Mr. Shabbir Ali, Major Dhyanchand Awardee, will support the chief coaches of the men’s and women’s national teams across all age categories.
They will coordinate with the coaches on matters such as the requirement for the duration of camps, scouting, and exposure matches for the respective teams. The aforementioned task force will also submit a quarterly report on the same to the AIFF.
The committee proposed the formation of a four-member task force, consisting of DIG CISF Mr. Jitender Rana, IPS, Secretary, Services Sports Control Board, Mr. Varun Singh, Secretary, Railway Sports Promotion Board, Mr. Prem Chand Lochab, and Dronacharya awardee Mr. Bimal Ghosh, former coach of Air India. The task force is to prepare a feasibility report on the institutional League/tournament that the AIFF intends to revive, and submit a report to the federation in 30 days.