Churchill Bros pull out of Super Cup in protest against unfair draw

Panaji: Churchill Brothers FC have pulled out of the Super Cup in protest against the All India Football Federation’s “disregard towards rules, established precedent, and sporting spirit” while conducting the draw for the season-ending knockout tournament.

The Super Cup is a 16-team tournament with participation from teams from the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League. While all 13 ISL teams are taking part, only three of the 12 teams from the second tier – Churchill, Inter Kashi and Gokulam Kerala – confirmed their participation.

Churchill were drawn to face ISL Shield and Trophy winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant on April 20, the opening day of the tournament, in Bhubaneswar.

“The draw of lots adopted by the AIFF lacks transparent legitimacy,” Churchill wrote in a letter to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey on Saturday. “The fact that different teams have been subject to different methods of determining their seed for the competition is patently unfair.”

Churchill have been at loggerheads with the AIFF over the governing body’s refusal to officially announce them as champions after they finished on top of the I-League table with 40 points. Inter Kashi, second with 39 points, can move on top should a pending appeals committee decision go their way.

It is this ranking that has caused friction. Churchill first complained to Chaubey about the irregularities in conducting the draw on April 9 and pulled out three days later after receiving no clarification.

“As things stand, while the ranks according to 2024-25 ISL season standings have been followed for the seeding process of the Super Cup, the same has not been followed for the I-League. As the team in first place of the I-League at the end of the 2024-25 season, Churchill ought to have been the 14th seed in the Super Cup. However, the AIFF has instead opted to disregard the table and award the 14th seed to Inter Kashi FC through an opaque draw of lots.

“Inter Kashi have, as a result, treated their 14th place seed as the AIFF giving legitimacy to the patently false claim that they are the winners of the I-League 2024-25. The AIFF’s continued inaction in this regard damages not only Churchill but the reputation of Indian football as a whole. This calls into question the AIFF’s competency to act as the impartial governor and regulator of football in India,” the club said in the letter.

The Super Cup will kick off on April 20 with defending champions East Bengal taking on Kerala Blasters in the opener at 4.30pm.