On Friday 21st June, former Indian Senior Team’s Head Coach Igor Stimac made some allegations on AIFF during his press conference. After this, on Monday 24th June, All India Football Federation responded and replied with counter allegations. They said they don’t want to enter into debate. AIFF also ignores various negative statements which Igor made.
In October 2023, at the time of contract renewal, the Core Committee of the AIFF, under the chairmanship of Vice President Mr. N A Haris, met in advance and proposed to the AIFF that coach Stimac could be offered a two-year contract with a monthly salary of US$ 30,000 from January 2024 and to instruct the legal team to finalise the contract ‘with a termination clause favourable to All India Football Federation’.
Then Secretary General and All India Football Federation legal consultant negotiated and finalised and then the Secretary General signed the contract with Igor Stimac. The executed contract provided for a salary raise to US$ 30,000 per month from February 2024-January 2025 ,as approved by the Core Committee, and US$40,000 per month from February 2024-January 2026, without Core Committee approval for the said amount.
In the statement, AIFF said Stimac had full freedom to operate for the selections of venues, support staff, choice of travel days as per his communication with the Team Manager. His asks especially for various support staff of his choice, were always supported by the AIFF in the interests of the national team.
- In his previous press conference Igor Stimac said “In my career – I’ve not been sacked till now, this was the first time. And it was wrongly so – in my reply to AIFF I’ve done the same.” Regarding this statement, AIFF said, “Mr. Stimac’s conduct combined with the waning performance of the national team made the status quo unsustainable. The AIFF had to act in the national interest and to ensure the game moves forward in the country. Mr. Stimac was offered the opportunity to part ways on mutual terms. He refused the offer, making unreasonable and unprofessional demands in response. The All India Football Federation was, thus, left with no option than to terminate Mr. Stimac’s contract for just cause and in compliance with the terms of the contract, offering him a 3 months’ severance fee”.
- Igor has blamed AIFF management with various issues. He said, they have been left to work without GPS equipment for over 200 days, even though continuously kept reminding to the management how important this was for work. India was the only team at the AFC Asian Cup not having GPS equipment. In reply AIFF confirmed, “It is true that the team did not have access to the GPS vests for approximately 50 days of training and match play due to their unfortunate loss in checked-in baggage during team’s travel in September 2023 from New Delhi to Hangzhou for the Asian Games. The coach’s statement that GPS equipment was not available for over 200 days is obviously misleading and an attempt to exaggerate the matter for effect.”
- On Friday’s press conference, Former Head Coach Stimac confessed that with all the pressures and things going on he had a heart surgery in December end, and not many were aware about this, still he chose to defend the country. AIFF gave a shocking reaction to these statements, not aware that Stimac had a heart surgery during his engagement with the All India Football Federation. He has irresponsibly blamed the AIFF for causing his heart ailment, attempting to deflect the serious matter of his not having been medically fit to render coaching services and his failure to formally disclose the same to the AIFF.
In their response against Stimac statements AIFF said, keeping in mind the upcoming FIFA window in September and the time for hiring a new head coach they had to act in timely manner, AIFF took the decision of termination in the interest of nation’s football, players and the stakeholders.
