Delhi High Court temporarily stays Shaji Prabhakaran's removal from the post of general secretary

The Delhi High Court has temporarily stayed the removal of Shaji Prabhakaran from the post of AIFF General Secretary on Friday. AIFF sacked Prabhakaran in November due to a trust deficit between president Kalyan Chaubey and the general secretary. M Satyanarayan of Karnataka was appointed the acting secretary general.

Also Read: AIFF sacks General Secretary Shaji Prabhakaran on account of trust deficit

According to sources inside the AIFF, Shaji Prabhakaran earned the displeasure of the president and executive committee members owing to some arbitrary decisions and actions. Prabhakaran was one of the key associates of Chaubey who swept to power in September 2022, replacing the committee of Praful Patel, who ruled the Federation for 13 years.

Kalyan Chaubey pointed to dissatisfaction among state bodies regarding Shaji Prabhakaran's performance as the driving force behind the decision. This move sparked speculation and debate within the football community, with supporters and critics alike questioning the motives and consequences of such a drastic measure.

A day after Prabhakaran's sacking, the decision was ratified by the AIFF Executive Committee on 9 November. Shaji Prabhakaran in a statement had said that he was shocked at AIFF's decision.

Under the leadership of Chaubey and Shaji Prabhakaran, the new regime took a number of decisions to reform the functioning of the AIFF and announced a strategic roadmap named "Vision 2047" in January this year.

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If FIFA perceives this as undue interference in the national association's affairs, it may take disciplinary action, including the imposition of a ban. The delicate balance between the autonomy of national football associations and the global governance standards set by FIFA has often been a subject of contention. The Delhi court's intervention brings this issue to the forefront, as the legal system steps into the realm of sports administration.