Dempo SC, one of the India’s most successful clubs, withdraw from the I-League

Earlier, Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa retreated from I-league

Written by: Rachit.Kanaujia

Updated: December 7, 2016, 7:55 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/sports/dempo-sc-one-of-the-indias-most-successful-clubs-withdrew-from-the-i-league-1696052/ Copy

Dempo SC

Dempo Sports Club, on Wednesday, pulled out from the I-League for the 2017-18 season in protest against AIFF’s proposed blueprint to modernise domestic football, dealing another body blow to the sport in India. Prior to Dempo SC, two other Goan clubs Salgaocar and Sporting Clube de Goa had pulled out from the league.

The AIFF, interestingly, were hoping that Dempo owned by AIFF vice-president Shrinivas Dempo, will not follow in the footsteps of their Goan counterparts and had extended the deadline to submit the participation agreement till Wednesday. The previous deadline was November 22.

All the three Goan club owners — Shivanand Salgaocar, Shrinivas Dempo and Peter Vaz, had taken a unified stand on 23rd June, 2016 in order to oppose the restructuring which will make Indian Super League(ISL) a top-tier league and relegates I-League to the second division or ‘League One’ as it will be called.

This decision of Dempo SC will definitely be an eye opener for the The All India Football Federation as Dempo are the most successful club of the last decade, winning a record five National titles. They were relegated in 2015 but made a comeback after topping the Second Division I-League in May earlier this year.

The fact that none of the Goan clubs would be accommodated in next season’s ISL, and there would be no opportunity for promotion, only accelerated the process. If sources are to be believed, then only three clubs from the current I-League – Bengaluru FC, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, are expected to be immersed into the ISL, two of them as new contestants with one of the Kolkata clubs allying with an existing franchise.

Now when Dempo SC has withdrawn from the competition, AIFF is left stunned as the I-League now has only seven confirmed clubs — East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru FC, DSK Shivajians, Mumbai FC, Shillong Lajong and Aizawl FC, who made a comeback after being relegated last season.

The AIFF in the process of recouping the situation has invited tenders from franchises for direct entries in I-League. Five clubs naming FC Bardez, Minerva Academy FC, Chennai City FC, Neroca FC and Sudeva FC have so far submitted their bids. The bid evaluation committee of AIFF is expected only on December 11, less than a month before the league kicks off on January 7, 2017.