VFF to invite another country to replace India in int'l tournament

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is in touch with a number of national football federations in Asia to invite another team to replace India after its participation in an international football tournament to be held in Vietnam was cancelled.

According to the VFF, the International Football Federation (FIFA) has decided to suspend the All India Football Federation (AIFF) owing to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of FIFA's statutes.

The decision means that India will not be able to take part in the international football tournament, scheduled to take place from September 21-29 in Ho Chi Minh City. The event has been billed as a warm-up for the Vietnam national team ahead of the 2022 AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup, a biennial football competition organised by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Football Federation which is set to kick off at the end of this year.

India’s suspension will be lifted once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee has been repealed and the AIFF administration regains full control of the AIFF’s daily affairs.

According to the VFF, India’s highest court disbanded the AIFF Executive Committee in May and appointed a three-member committee to govern the sport organisation, amend the AIFF’s constitution and conduct elections that have been pending for 18 months.

The suspension means that the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup 2022, scheduled to take place in India from October 11-30 this year, cannot be held as planned./.