Former Indian Football Team captain, Bhaichung Bhutia has called for the resignation of All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey in the wake of the recent controversy surrounding the dismissal of secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran.
Bhutia, who attended the executive committee meeting addressing Prabhakaran’s removal on November 7, asserted that the responsibility for the administrative turmoil lies not only with Prabhakaran but also with Chaubey and treasurer Kipa Ajay.
Expressing concern over the state of Indian football, Bhutia emphasized that decisions were being made without the approval of the executive committee, leading to the turmoil in the sport’s administration. He highlighted the lack of transparency and internal conflicts, pointing out the adverse impact on the national team during important events like the Hangzhou Asian Games and the Asian Cup.
Prabhakaran, initially dismissed for “breach of trust,” obtained an interim stay on his removal from the Delhi High Court. The court’s recent order highlighted procedural irregularities in his dismissal, emphasizing that only the executive committee has the authority for such actions.
Bhutia proposed live streaming of AIFF meetings for transparency, drawing parallels with the public streaming of court hearings. Additionally, he criticized the handling of the Indian team’s participation in the AFC Asian Cup, attributing disappointments to decisions made by the AIFF leadership rather than the players or coaches.
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