I-League clubs threaten to move court, FIFA over telecast row

Minerva Punjab owner Ranjit Bajaj Sunday threatened to move court under the aegis of I-League (Private) Clubs Association if the All India Football Federation (AIFF) does not sort out the telecast row.

The association formed by defending champions Minerva Punjab, Chennai City FC, Neroca FC, Aizawl FC, Gokulam Kerala FC and Shillong Lajong FC is up in the arms against the AIFF after it recently announced that it would reduce the I-League TV coverage to just 30 of the 61 remaining matches.

Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, who are all set to be part of the Indian Super League (ISL) next season, have not responded to the association request to join them.

Giving AIFF a deadline of January 5, Bajaj said if they don't respond then they will take their fight to the civil court, and may even knock the doors of FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Their top demand is that all I-League matches must be broadcast with equal coverage like the ISL, backed by IMG-Reliance.

"We have set January 5 as the deadline for AIFF to respond. We have written to Praful Patel (AIFF president) and he is yet to respond. After that, I will be forced to approach the civil courts of India, CAS and FIFA," Bajaj said in a news conference here.

In a letter to the AIFF president Patel, Bajaj said: "We request you to ensure that there is good promotion and marketing of I-League."
Continuing his scathing attack on FSDL, Bajaj said: "They have dangled a carrot in front of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal so they have remained quiet despite our repeated efforts."
Making an earnest plea to the Kolkata giants, Bajaj said: "We look like ants without them. They have been the torchbearers of Indian football."