Churchill Brothers FC Files Formal Complaint Against AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey
In a significant development that has sent shockwaves through Indian football governance, Churchill Brothers FC has formally requested the All India Football Federation's ethics and dispute resolution committee to investigate a potential conflict of interest concerning its president, Kalyan Chaubey. The Goan club has raised serious questions about whether Chaubey's candidature for the office of AIFF President complies with established conflict of interest provisions and fundamental governance principles.
The Core Allegation: Undisclosed Family Connection
According to a detailed complaint filed last week by the club's general manager, Aditya Barros Pereira, publicly available records indicate that Chaubey's wife, Sohini Mitra, serves as the director of Mohun Bagan Football Club (India) Pvt Ltd. Churchill Brothers further asserts that Sohini Mitra is associated with the executive committee of Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, thereby exercising a direct governance role within the club's organizational structure.
This undisclosed relationship forms the crux of the conflict of interest allegations. Article 73.3 of the AIFF Constitution explicitly mandates that every person, upon assuming their position, must disclose in writing to the ethics and disputes resolution committee any existing or potential event that may be deemed to cause a conflict of interest. Such disclosures are required to be uploaded on the official AIFF website for transparency.
Violations of AIFF Code of Ethics Cited
The Churchill Brothers complaint states unequivocally: "The non-disclosure of Chaubey's relationship with the Director of Mohun Bagan Football Club (India) Private Limited raises concerns on his integrity and his capacity to undertake objective decisions for the interest of the federation." The club has specifically flagged violations of Article 19 and Article 19(A) of the AIFF Code of Ethics, 2017, which govern ethical conduct and conflict of interest scenarios.
Churchill Brothers has articulated a clear concern: "When the spouse of the AIFF president occupies a governance position within a club that participates in the national football structure, there arises a real and reasonable concern regarding the possibility of preferential treatment, access to confidential information, the exercise of undue influence, and a perception of compromised impartiality in regulatory or commercial matters affecting football clubs."
Specific Instance of Alleged Favoritism
The complaint points to a concrete example that it claims demonstrates potential favoritism. This involves the recent reduction of a sanction imposed on Mohun Bagan by the AIFF disciplinary committee. Initially, following the March 6 clash against Odisha FC, the committee had imposed a full stadium closure along with a substantial fine. However, after Mohun Bagan submitted a review petition, the decision was modified from a full closure to a partial one.
Churchill Brothers contends this modification is unusual, stating: "These events are strange as judicial bodies in AIFF have not modified or taken back decisions that were directed to the parties except in cases of directions made by domestic and international courts." The club further argues from a legal standpoint: "As a matter of settled legal principle, review jurisdiction is narrowly confined and is generally maintainable only in exceptional circumstances, such as the discovery of a new and important fact or evidence, an error apparent on the face of the record, or other similarly limited grounds. No such circumstance appears, on the face of the record, to have existed in the present matter."
Formal Demands and Broader Context
In its formal appeal, Churchill Brothers has requested the independent ethics panel to undertake three specific actions:
- Examine the conflict-of-interest implications arising from the directorship and governance role of Kalyan Chaubey's wife.
- Determine whether Chaubey's candidature for the office of AIFF president complies with the constitutional provisions regarding conflicts of interest.
- Direct appropriate disclosures, recusals, or other remedial measures as deemed necessary to uphold governance integrity.
This complaint arrives amidst a period of significant turmoil within the AIFF's ethics apparatus. Churchill Brothers' recent complaints have already led to the ethics and dispute resolution committee being reduced to just two members. Committee chairperson RK Pachnanda recused himself due to his prior role as AIFF's integrity officer, and Sudarshan Kumar Agarwal resigned after the club highlighted his previous role as counsel for President Chaubey, flagging a direct conflict of interest.
The backdrop to this dispute is deeply rooted in competitive history. Churchill Brothers, who are not participating in either the Indian Super League (ISL) or the Indian Football League (IFL) this season, have been in a protracted conflict with the AIFF. This stems from last season's I-League title race, where Churchill Brothers were initially declared champions, only for the title to be later awarded to Inter Kashi following two successful appeals at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The current complaint represents a direct challenge to the ethical foundations of Indian football's governing body, calling for greater transparency and adherence to governance principles at the highest level of administration.
