I-League clubs won't free players for AIFF tournament

Mumbai: The I-League clubs are up in arms against the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and have decided not to release players for the new league that will be promoted by IMG-Reliance.

The Indian Professional Football Clubs Association (IPFCA), the union of I-League clubs, met here to discuss a range of issues and said that the clubs will neither release players nor sign any player who has a contract with IMG-Reliance.

"We have unanimously decided that no club will release players on loan or otherwise for the IMG-Reliance tournament and will also not take any IMG-Reliance-contracted players on loan or otherwise," IPFCA president Raj Gomes told IANS.

Gomes, who is also the secretary general of Salgaocar, said that the members have also proposed a similar tournament on the lines of the IMG-R meet. "Members have proposed to organise a tournament during the three-month break during which IMG-Reliance will conduct their tournament," he said.

Gomes also said that the clubs would like to continue with the current home-away I-League format and Federation Cup. "The clubs would like to meet AIFF and understand how the changes in formats would assist in the development of Indian football. It was also decided that clubs should be taken into confidence before any changes are made in the rules and regulations of the I-League/Federation Cup," he said.

Gomes also said that the I-League clubs have demanded an increase in prize money proportionately to the increase in the participation fee.