Kochi: Kerala Blasters and three other Indian Super League (ISL) sides have failed to meet the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) licensing criteria, jeopardising their participation in the next edition of the ISL as well as continental tournaments like AFC Champions League and AFC Cup even if they qualify.
The other three clubs who failed to obtain the licence for the upcoming season are Hyderabad FC, Jamshedpur FC, and Odisha FC.
It is believed that the safety concerns raised by the AFC over the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Kaloor, the home ground of Blasters, was the main reason for the club's failure to get their licence renewed.
According to officials attached to the club, they have not received any official communiqué from the AIFF, the parent body of the sport in the country, on the rejection of the application.
The four clubs will have to appeal against the decision or will have to seek exemption from sanctions if they want to take part in the ISL.
Although AFC general secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John, who came down to watch one of Blasters' home games in the previous ISL edition, was pleased to see the jam-packed stadium, he had raised serious concerns over the absence of adequate safety measures at the venue.
The AFC official pointed out that the stadium lacked the security infrastructure to segregate fans, officials, and players. Besides, he expressed concerns over the functioning of shops and eateries in the stadium complex on match days and storage of highly flammable substances and materials like LPG cylinders.
Punjab FC are the only ISL club that have complied with all the mandatory licensing criteria to obtain a 'clean' licence.
ISL champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant, runners-up Mumbai City FC, FC Goa, Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, North-East United FC, East Bengal FC, and the newly promoted Mohammedan SC have also been granted licenses, but with sanctions.
