AIFF’s academy team punished for fielding under-age players

Panaji: The All India Football Federation’s own football academy has been barred from participation in the U-18 Elite League due to age manipulation.

Minerva Academy FC had complained that the AIFF FIFA Talent Academy based in Odisha – famously launched by Arsenal’s legendary manager Arsene Wenger -- fielded more than five players who failed the U-16 TW3 or bone density test, “contrary to the eligibility framework that has otherwise been enforced upon all the other participating clubs.”

The Chandigarh-based club argued through counsels Shivam Singh and Yoshit Jain that the guideline issued by AIFF clearly provides that a maximum of five players who do not fall in the bone density category can be moved from Junior League to play in the Elite League, provided that the team is participating in both the leagues.

AIFF FIFA Talent Academy had a team only in the Elite League.

AIFF fielded players who are below the restricted age group category of those born between Jan 1, 2008, and Dec 31, 2009, in violation of Article 9.1.(a) of the AIFF Elite Youth League 2025-26 Regulations. There were 18 players below the age of 16 on the premise that such players failed the bone density test and possess a bone age rating above 16.2.

“While AIFF guidelines permit a maximum of five players who fall outside the age category but meet the 16.2 bone age criteria, this exception is strictly contingent upon the team participating in both relevant categories (Junior League and Elite League). As AIFF FIFA Talent Academy participates only in the Elite League, the said relaxation is not applicable or available to the team,” the disciplinary committee said in its order.

The four-member committee chaired by Justice (Retd) Vineet Saran said Minerva Punjab’s complaint has “merit” and the AIFF was “legally bound by the age specifications set forth in the tournament regulations, which apply to all the participants equally.”

In a statement late on Thursday, AIFF said the academy fielded a younger squad (primarily U-16 players) in an U-18 competition, as part of a deliberate high-performance development pathway designed to expose talented young players to stronger and old competition

“This developmental approach has already demonstrated positive results,” said AIFF. “During the previous season, when the academy's younger team competed against older players in the AIFF Elite Youth League, and won the majority of its matches, progressing deep into the competition despite the age disadvantage. The same developmental philosophy had continued this season, with young players competing against older age groups to accelerate their growth.”