The circus that is Indian football never ceases to amaze.
After disobeying the order of the Court of Arbitration and handing out the I-League trophy to Churchill Brothers FC at a private function in Goa, on Sunday, the AIFF now want to do a U-Turn.
Hours after CAS stayed AIFF's decision to declare Churchill Brothers as I-League champions and barred the Indian football federation from conducting any formal felicitation ceremony, the national federation awarded the winners trophy to the Goan club, a development which may invite action from the international body.
All India Football Federation (AIFF) deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan presented the trophy to Churchill Brothers and claimed that they learnt about the CAS order only after the ceremony was conducted.
CAS order came on an application filed by Inter Kashi.
Elizabeth Steiner, the Deputy President of the Appeals Arbitration Division of the CAS, had barred AIFF from conducting any medal ceremony till the case is decided.
Satyanarayan told PTI that the AIFF will have to obey the CAS' final ruling on the matter.
"After the hearing, whatever the CAS rules, we have to obey it and then we have to act accordingly."
Late Sunday night, in an interview to The Tribune, Satyanarayan said: 'We were aware that Inter Kashi had approached the CAS but we were under pressure to hand over the trophy after the appeal committee and court’s orders. The AIFF only got to know of the CAS order by 4.45 pm today and by that time the trophy presentation was over.
We are consulting our legal department and will shortly write to Churchill to return the trophy,' he added.
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