A former president of the Andhra Pradesh Football Association has flagged alleged irregularities in the All India Football Federation (AIFF) ahead of its executive committee meeting and annual general body meeting scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
Gopalakrishna Kosaraju, who lost the elections for treasurer of the AIFF last year, has sent an email to federation president Kalyan Chaubey, secretary-general Shaji Prabhakaran, executive committee members as well as the state units, alleging that broadcast rights for the I-League and Indian Women’s League matches to a Calcutta-based company were awarded without following the standard operating protocol.
The AIFF has strongly denied the allegations. “Idle minds imagine things but when you counter them logically they just shut up,” AIFF vice-president NA Haris told The Telegraph on Saturday.
“This person (Kosaraju) has no locus standi. It’s a ploy to derail the good work done by the present dispensation,” added secretary-general Prabhakaran.
In his missive, Kosaraju has alleged that “Kaleidoscope Productions & Services LLP, renamed as KPS Studios, was given the broadcasting rights for I-League and Indian Women’s League matches by issuing a notice inviting tender of just five days (October 27, to November 1, 2022). The value of the tender also was not mentioned and AIFF paid Rs 7,98,47,600 on the conclusion of the I-League.”
“AIFF spent Rs 1,93,73,198 for I-League matches production & broadcasting for 2021-22, conducted at a single venue due to Covid-19 regulations. Whereas, the total production & broadcasting expenses for 2022-23 was Rs 13,27,55,050,” the email says.
AIFF officials countered that of the Rs 7.98 crore, FSDL, which runs the top flight ISL, had paid Rs 3 crore. "Also, the last I-League was home and away. So expenses were bound to be more,” an official said.
