CAS over rules AIFF appeal committee decision restores points to Inter Kashi

In an embarrassing verdict that questions how decisions are being taken by the All India Football Federation, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has overturned the appeal committee’s decision against Inter Kashi.

Inter Kashi filed a petition in CAS after it disputed a result against Namdhari, against whom they lost 0-2 in January. Inter claimed that its opponent fielded an ineligible player — Cledson Carvalho da Silva, who should have been suspended for four yellow cards. The AIFF disciplinary committee then ruled the match as a forfeit against Namdhari and awarded three points to Inter. However, the AIFF appeal committee stayed the decision to dock points.

“The appeal filed on 24 April 2025 by Inter Kashi FC against the decision issued on 18 April 2025 by the appeal committee of the All India Football Federation is upheld,” the CAS order reads. Additionally, the AIFF is ordered to pay 40 per cent of the cost of this arbitration.

“…The costs of arbitration, to be served to the parties by the CAS Court Office separately, shall be borne 20% by Inter Kashi FC, 40% by the All India Football Federation, 20% by Churchill Brothers FC Goa and Namdhari FC,” the order adds.

The order was welcomed by both Inter and AIFF officials.

“Inter Kashi welcomes the verdict issued by the court of arbitration for Sports (CAS) in the matter of the arbitration filed by the club, registered as case number CAS 2025/A/11374,” Inter said in a statement/

“The CAS award overturns the decision of the ALL India Football Federation’s (AIFF) appeal committee, which had earlier deducted three points from the club in connection with its match against Namdhari. The order speaks for itself, and the club does not wish to comment further on the matter at this time,” the club added.

AIFF’s acting secretary general M Satyanarayan conceded that they will abide by CAS ruling.

“We abided by the independent committee’s report and we will abide by today’s CAS ruling as well. We do not side with anyone,” Satyanarayan told The Tribune on Tuesday.

However despite the verdict, Inter Kashi will not be announced as I-League Champions just yet. The Varanasi-based club has another petition pending with the CAS against the appeal committee’s decision that docked them three points.

The appeal committee led by Justice (retd) Rajesh Tandon had ordered that Mario Barco Vilar, who was let go and then re registered by Inter was wrongfully allowed to participate in the matches against Namdhari XI, Churchill Brothers and Real Kashmir FC.

Interestingly, the AIFF’s League Committee, a body that is constituted to run the league, had cleared Vilar’s re-registration on February 15.

Sports