Bhaichung Bhutia asks for removal of AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey

Former Indian football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia demanded the resignation of All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey and treasurer Kipa Ajay on Tuesday, citing the current mess in the administration of the federation.

The AIFF's Executive Committee, on Tuesday, formally sacked Shaji Prabhakaran from the post of secretary general, more than two months after the emergency committee did the same on November 7 for a "breach of trust".

Bhaichung, however, demanded that both Chaubey and Ajay should also leave the federation.

"I told the executive committee members that Kalyan Chaubey and treasurer Kipa Ajay should also resign. Shaji Prabhakaran should not be made the only scapegoat. All three of them are equally responsible for making decisions without the approval of the executive committee," Bhutia told PTI.

"All three of them were taking the decisions and if Shaji has to be removed, the president and treasurer should also be removed," said the legendary striker.

"Indian football is in a mess, there are politics in the sport, cutting out each other after little over one year of taking charge, it is not good. The national team has been left in the lurch during the Hangzhou Asian Games as well as in the Asian Cup where there was inadequate training time for the team," he added further.

A member of the executive committee of the AIFF, Bhaichung also said that he was unaware of the 'breach of trust' that led to the removal of Prabhakaran.

"I am an executive committee member but I don't know what was the breach of trust Shaji had committed. I am not told nor briefed about it," said Bhutia.

Talking about the Indian team's group stage exit in the AFC Asian Cup in Doha, Bhaichung said, "Asian Games and Asian Cup are the two most important tournaments for India and both were disasters, not due to players or coach but because of the AIFF top brass."