I-League: Salgaocar opt out; Sporting, Dempo keep AIFF guessing

PANAJI: Salgaocar FC have decided to stay away from a crucial I-League club licensing workshop making it clear that they will not be part of the I-League this season.
The former I-League champions have withdrawn from India's premier football competition in protest against the All India Football Federation's restructuring plans that promotes the Indian Super League (ISL) as the premier league and relegates I-League to the second division or League One as it will be called.
Sporting Clube de Goa have also announced their withdrawal from this edition of the I-League while Dempo Sports Club are expected to follow suit. But while all three Goan clubs appear firm on their decision to stick together and exit from the I-League together, at least two of the clubs will continue to keep AIFF guessing.
According to sources, Sporting Clube and Dempo officials will attend the club licensing workshop in Mumbai on Friday and do everything to meet the stringent club licensing criteria.
"Anyone who does not fulfil the club licensing criteria cannot participate in the I-League. If the Goan clubs do not attend the workshop and carry the club licensing work forward, the AIFF will simply leave them out of the I-League," a source tracking the development told TOI on the eve of the meeting. According to club licensing regulations, every club can avail of a one-time exemption if they fail to meet the criteria but all teams in the I-League have already made use of the exemption.
"In a recent interview, (AIFF general secretary) Kushal Das said Pune FC did not participate in the last edition of the I-League because they failed the club licensing criteria. That's not true. Pune FC did not even attempt to meet the criteria. How can someone fail when they were the first and only club to clear the criteria in their first attempt? And even if they had failed, they could have got a one-time exemption," said the source. The AIFF are hoping that Goan clubs, or at least two of them, will change their mind and participate in the I-League.