Football
Manipur CM requests AIFF to waive off state clubs' relegation from I-League
Singh wrote the letter addressed to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, seeking the retention of the two clubs in the I-League due to ethnic violence in the state.
FILE PHOTO: NEROCA FC players celebrating a goal against TRAU FC.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh requested the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to exempt TRAU FC and NEROCA FC - the two I-League clubs from the state - from relegation due to ethnic violence in the state.
Singh wrote the letter addressed to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey on March 8, 2024, seeking the retention of the two clubs in the I-League, the second division of Indian football.
The Manipur clubs had sought their away ties against Aizawl FC at a neutral venue due to "open support of the Mizos to the Kuki Jo group," and that "tensions between Meiteis and Kukis are not yet stopped."
Aizawl FC, however, had refused to entertain the request, leading to games being cancelled and the teams sharing a point each.
"I feel that the situation that both clubs face themselves in is a very unique one and something beyond anyone’s control. I shall be very grateful if you could kindly consider retaining TRAU FC and NEROCA FC in the First Division of the I-League," the chief minister wrote in the letter.
"The past year has been a challenging one on account of the unrest seen in Manipur starting May 3, 2023. Due to this unrest, the change in home ground (of TRAU FC and NEROCA FC) with minimal home support and also that many family members of the players were affected by the unrest, had severely affected the performance of both teams," the letter read further.
The situation has put AIFF in a fix. The federation will seek the opinion of the League Committee, and their opinions will be discussed in the Executive Committee.
