PANAJI
The Appeals Committee of AIFF on Saturday upheld the protests lodged by I-League clubs Churchill Bros, Namdhari and Real Kashmir against Inter Kashi for fielding an ineligible foreign player, Mario Barco, in their I-League 2024-25 championship, thereby implying that Churchill Brothers FC, with 42 points are the undisputed champions.
Following the order of the AIFF Appeals Committee, Churchill Bros has been awarded 2 additional points, Namdhari has secured 3 additional points and Kashmir has secured a superior match result. Inter Kashi loses 4 points for now, besides altering the goal difference.
Consequently, Inter Kashi's appeal in the Namdhari dispute in CAS will not change the championship’s fate.
The AIFF committee headed by Justice (retd) Rajesh Tandon and A K Tripathi, District Judge and Priyanka Mishra, lawyer and member, have unanimously ruled that the AIFF Competition Committee's decision to reject Inter Kashi's request to re-register Mario Barco, who had opted out due to injury, was correct.
The AIFF League Committee had presented a letter dated February 15, 2025 overruling the Competition Committee's decision. As the letter had not been passed through proper process, the panel has decided it to be non est and rejected the League Committee's decision.
The AIFF has been directed to ensure that the natural consequences of this order follow. It implies that Churchill Brothers FC, with 42 points are the undisputed champions.
After this order, CBFC’s championship win has been affirmed. The I-League trophy will continue to be in Goa.
