AIFF violates international court's stay order ‘due to holiday’, awards I-League trophy to Churchill

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Sunday allegedly violated a stay order issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) by conducting the I-League medal ceremony, in which Churchill Brothers were presented with the trophy. CAS is a Switzerland-based international body that settles disputes related to sport through arbitration.

"With regard to the CAS order, due to a holiday in the AIFF Secretariat, the Federation was only informed of the order at a time when the ceremony had already been concluded in Goa," AIFF said in a statement. The AIFF further said that it was "committed to adhering to all regulatory and legal processes and will take appropriate action".

The involvement of CAS came in the wake of an application filed by Inter Kashi, who petitioned the AIFF Appeals Committee, hoping to get three points from a match against Namdhari, claiming the opposition fielded an ineligible player.

Had the AIFF verdict been in their favour, Kashi (39+3 points) would have pipped Churchill (40) to the title. In the end, Kashi were left disappointed as the Appeals Committee did not find merit in their claim and declared Churchill as champions on April 20, two weeks after the last matches of the season were played.

Elizabeth Steiner, the Deputy President of the Appeals Arbitration Division of the CAS, had issued the order barring the AIFF from conducting any medal ceremony till the case was decided. “The decision rendered by the Appeal Committee of All India Football Federation rendered on 18 April 2025 is stayed,” Elizabeth Steiner said in an 'ex parte' order.

“The All India Football Federation is ordered not to declare the winner of the I-League 2024/2025 or organise a medal ceremony for the I-League 2024-25 until the present arbitration has been concluded,” said the Austrian jurist. AIFF and Churchill Brothers were granted "a time limit to file a full reply to the application for provisional measures until 29 April 2025. The costs of the present Order shall be determined in the final award or in any other final disposition of this arbitration,” the order said.

Meanwhile, Churchill Brothers displayed the I-League trophy, with a dig allegedly aimed at Kashi. “It's natural to celebrate wins when you’re new to the game. But at Churchill Brothers, our DNA has always screamed silverware. 3—that’s the number of I-League titles we’ve won, more than the number of years some clubs have even existed,” Churchill said in a social media post. The winner of the I-League gains promotion to the Indian Super League (ISL), which is the first division in Indian men's football structure.