AIFF seeks FIFA's view on players' release row

AIFF vice-president Subrata Dutta on Friday told reporters that they want more transparency on the matter and that is the reason they have approached FIFA to clarify their stand on players’ release rules.

“We are aware of a FIFA rule that states that a player representing a club in a foreign country will have to attend to his country’s call with five days notice for an international match, and two days for an international friendly,” he said. “But the rule is not clear in case of a player who represents a club in his own country like what happened recently. We don’t want a repeat of this, so we have asked for a clear set of guidelines regarding players release from the clubs,” he said.

At present, players are released for national duty as under Article 13 (J) of AIFF Constitution and Article 37 (2) of the Players Status Regulations, Dutta, who is also the director of the George Telegraph SC, said.

The Indian team’s exposure trip to the Caribbean was put in jeopardy after Dempo SC, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Pune FC refused to release their players. Even after the Emergency Committee of the AIFF sent out a statement of the clubs agreeing to part with their players for the tour.