Football: Super Cup qualifying matches will not be rescheduled, says AIFF

The ongoing tussle between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the I-League saw yet another chapter added on to it. After the protesting I-League clubs agreed to participate in the ongoing Super Cup, the AIFF has now turned down a request from the clubs who had boycotted matches to play the qualifying rounds again, Times of India reports. "We are glad to know you will participate in the Super Cup. However, we regret to state that we cannot accede to your request to restart the competition and reschedule the qualifying round as it is completely against the rules and regulations of the tournament," AIFF General Secretary reportedly wrote in a letter to the clubs. Even within the clubs, there seems to exist a divide. While some have agreed to participate in the Super Cup starting next week, three clubs who boycotted their qualifying round matches recently seem to be hit the hardest- they are Minerva Punjab FC, Gokulam Kerala FC and Aizawl FC. According to the AIFF, the Super Cup is a national tournament and thus must adhere to the rules and regulations of any other national tournament. "It would be completely unfair to the teams who were on the field of play to participate in the tournament to ask them to play the qualifiers again," Das was further quoted as saying. AIFF Presiden Praful Patel is scheduled to meet the representatives of the protesting clubs but that can only happen next month. Meanwhile, club owners are questioning why the matches cannot be rescheduled given that the only time they may be able to properly air their concerns is in the meeting with Praful Patel next month. The club owners have also reportedly pointed out different stances by AIFF in different tournaments. The biggest example used was the I-League clash between Real Kashmir FC and Minerva Punjab FC when, after the latter refused to travel to Srinagar, the tie was later rescheduled. To read on all that has happened in the Super Cup saga so far, click here.