Gokulam Kerela FC write letter to Prime Miner requesting FIFA ban intervention
The All India Football Federation being banned the world football governing body, FIFA meant that the national teams wouldn’t be able to contest on the international stage. But it also meant that the Indian clubs wouldn’t be able to participate in the continental competitions including the Gokulam Kerala FC women’s team in the AFC Women’s Club Championship.
The club has now written a letter to the Prime Miner’s office, requesting intervention in the ban and helping them participate in Asia’s premier club competition.
“Our team reached Tashkent, Uzbekan, from Kozhikode during the early hours of 16th of August 2022,” wrote Ashok Kumar, the Gokulam Kerala FC CEO. “On arrival, we heard through various media outlets that FIFA has banned AIFF (All India Football Federation) and the clubs are therefore no longer entitled to take part in the international competition until the suspension is lifted.”
“In the light of the above, we request PMOs good officers to intervene in this matter and make all efforts to revoke FIFA ban and include us back in the AFC Women’s Club Championship as the champion club of India.”
Gokulam Kerela FC had qualified for the Women’s Club Championship on the virtue of being club champions from India. The 23-player squad was scheduled to play Iranian club Bam Khatoon FC on 26th August but following the news of the ban have been grounded in the capital of Uzbekan.
“Our Prime Miner’s dream is to make India a Super Power and become number 1 in the world,” Kumar further wrote in the letter. “In a small way, our club is spearheading the efforts to bring women’s football in India being the champion club of Indian since 2019. Such an unforeseen ban should not be detrimental to our efforts in making INDIA proud to become the number one women’s football nation in Asia.”
FIFA had stated that the suspension on AIFF will be lifted once an order to set up a committee of adminrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been repealed and the AIFF adminration regains full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs.
