The Indian Professional Football Clubs Association has decided not to release their players for the proposed IMG-Reliance new tournament next year. The clubs will organise instead a parallel tournament during the proposed three-month break.
“It was unanimously decided that no club will release on loan or otherwise any players for the IMG-Reliance tournament and will also not take any IMG-Reliance contracted players on loan or otherwise,” said IPFCA secretary Chirag Tanna after a meeting with other I-league club representatives here on Wednesday.
If the decision stands, it will cast a shadow on the IPL-style commercial tournament as it may not feature current top Indian players contracted to I-League clubs. The tournament may be reduced to a veterans’ show plus some upcoming players who are out of contract and foreign stars.
Instead, the clubs have decided to run a parallel tournament during the three-month break. “It will be not a confrontation with the IMG-Reliance tournament. Our aim will be to keep our players fit and test our bench strength,” Tanna said.
The All India Football Federation’s commercial partner IMG-Reliance has already signed Baichung Bhutia and is also reportedly in talks with top international veterans to be associated with the tournament. When asked whether Bhutia, Dempo FC and Shillong Lajong were party to this decision as their owners are in the AIFF, which supports the IMG-Reliance tournament. “Sikkim United is already relegated from the I-League.
“But it will be complicated for Dempo and Shillong as they wear two hats,” Pune FC head of operations, Tanna said.