AIFF hands over a new I-League trophy to Inter Kashi in Goa

Panaji: Six months after handing over the I-League trophy to Churchill Brothers in Goa, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) held another trophy presentation ceremony, this time presenting a new trophy to Inter Kashi.The turn of events follows battles at the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which overturned two decisions of the AIFF appeals committee and ordered that Inter Kashi should be declared champions. At the end of the league stage on April 6, Churchill (40) had finished a point ahead of the Varanasi side and were declared “provisional winners”.After the second CAS order, the AIFF wrote two letters to Churchill, asking the club to return the champions trophy, which the club refused, insisting the matter is subjudice.

Left with no choice, the federation then ordered a new trophy and handed it over after Inter Kashi’s concluding group-stage clash against Jamshedpur FC at the Athletic Stadium, Bambolim.“When the trophy initially went to Churchill Brothers, we weren’t disappointed,” said club chairman Vinod Dugar. “For us, the spirit of football matters more than anything. We respect the AIFF’s authority and the process that followed.

The CAS decision brought clarity.”Saturday’s trophy presentation was also held in Goa, with AIFF’s deputy secretary general, M Satyanarayan, and Goa Football Association (GFA) president Caitano Fernandes in attendance for the ceremony. The decision to hand over the I-League trophy was taken after the AIFF’s two-member committee studied the CAS order and recommended Kashi to be officially coronated as champions.

“Victory is finally ours, and we thank the AIFF for being fair and upholding the spirit of the game. They supported the real winners, and now with the trophy, medals, and promotion to the ISL, the journey feels complete,” said president Prithijit Das.On Saturday morning, Churchill Brothers displayed the I-League trophy -- presented to them on April 28 – at the Varca residence of the owners and said the “champions' trophy, which you see right in front of you”, and the winners' medals were officially and formally presented to the club as per the appeals committee order and representation made by AIFF in the Delhi high court.“CAS has never asked us to return the trophy till date,” Churchill said in a statement to the media. “The final order is yet to be given. We are awaiting the final order from CAS and we will challenge the same in the Swiss Federal Tribunal. As such, the matter is subjudice.”Churchill said they wrote multiple letters to AIFF on the legal aspects of the case and made them aware of “the facts of the matter” but received no replies.“Such a situation has never arisen in the history of Indian football. We are extremely shocked by the manner in which the AIFF is dealing with the matter. Their attitude and approach is simply baffling to say the least,” said Churchill.