Harpal Singh Bedi

New Delhi: Former goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey on Friday 2 September 2022, became the first player to be elected as president of the All-India Football federation (AIFF)

The election for the head of the federation was reduced to virtually no contest as Kalyan trounced his rival and former teammate Bhaichung Bhutia 33-1.

Karnataka’s NA Haris was elected vice president defeating Rajasthan’s Manvendra Singh 29-5.

Arunachal Pradesh’s Kipa Ajay defeated Andhra Pradesh’s Gopalakrishna Kosaraju 32-1, for the post of treasurer. One vote was declared invalid.

What was expected to be close contest between goalkeeper and the former captain of national side turned out to be a damp squib   Though Chaubey and his panel was expected to win but the totally one-sided results for all the three posts came as a big surprise.

Kosaraju and Manvendra proposed and seconded Bhutia.

Chaubey ,contesting on BJP ticket had lost the last parliamentary election for the Krishnanagar seat in West Bengal, never played for the national senior team though he was in the squad on few occasions. He, however, played for India in age-group international tournaments. He was also a former goalkeeper at both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.  He and Bhutia  were one-time teammates at East Bengal.

All the 14 candidates who had filed nominations for as many executive committee members’ posts were elected unopposed.

The elections were held at the AIFF headquarters this morning.

HSB