The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has alleged that members of the Alemao family, including Executive Committee member Valanka Alemao, exerted sustained pressure on the federation to secure the inclusion of Churchill Brothers FC Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL).
In a statement, the AIFF said the requests could not be accommodated due to existing rules, regulations, and commitments to stakeholders.
Churchill Brothers had initially been declared winners of the 2024–25 I-League season after the registration of an Inter Kashi foreign player was deemed invalid, leading to forfeiture of matches. However, the decision was later challenged.
Following an appeal by Inter Kashi, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) set aside the earlier ruling and directed the AIFF to revise the points table. After adjustments, Inter Kashi finished with 42 points, ahead of Churchill Brothers on 40, and were declared champions.
As per regulations, the I-League winners are promoted to the ISL, leading to Inter Kashi’s inclusion in the upcoming season.
The AIFF stated that despite this, Valanka Alemao and her family made repeated efforts to influence proceedings, including pushing for emergency executive committee meetings.
An emergency meeting scheduled for February 9, 2026, could not proceed due to lack of quorum. A subsequent meeting on February 12 was held, where the proposal to include Churchill Brothers in the ISL was rejected after deliberations.
The federation said further requests were made to convene another meeting on February 14, the opening day of the ISL season, but these were declined as the matter had already been decided.
The AIFF added that legal petitions were subsequently filed before the Delhi High Court, reiterating that all decisions were taken in accordance with its rules and procedures.
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