AIFF hands Churchill Brothers 0-3 forfeit for fielding ineligible player

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) Disciplinary Committee has handed Churchill Brothers FC Goa a 0-3 forfeit for fielding an ineligible player in their I-League 2024-25 match against Aizawl FC.

The match, played on February 17 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Mizoram, had originally ended in a 1-1 draw.

However, upon review, Churchill Brothers were found to have violated Articles 6.5.6 and 6.6.6 of the I-League regulations. As a result, Aizawl FC has now been awarded all three points.

“The said match shall result in a forfeiture (0-3 loss) for Churchill Brothers FC Goa in accordance with Article 57 read with Article 26 of the AIFF Disciplinary Code,” the AIFF stated in an official release.

This decision comes just days after Namdhari FC faced a similar sanction for fielding an ineligible player in their January 13 match against Inter Kashi. Namdhari, too, suffered a 0-3 forfeit and had three points deducted from their tally.

The ruling affects the I-League standings significantly, with Churchill Brothers now three points behind table leaders Inter Kashi. They currently sit in second place with 28 points from 16 matches.