AIFF responds to Igor Stimac’s allegations

The All India Football Federation came up with a detailed response to the various allegations leveled against them by Igor Stimac immediately following his sacking as the head coach of the Indian men’s football team. The governing body, in a release on Monday, reacted to several claims made by Stimac in an earlier press conference and accused him of “maligning the AIFF and its personnel.”

Stimac, who was head coach since 2019, had a rather stormy press conference last week and levelled several allegations in the AIFF. Of them, the prime was that no communication came from AIFF officials. The counter from the federation was that Stimac had a variety of in-person and virtual meetings during his tenure with AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey himself.

The AIFF replied to Stimac’s claim about the non-availability of GPS equipment for more than 200 days, saying that it was unavailable only for 50 days. The statement referred to Stimac’s remarks as “obviously misleading and an attempt to exaggerate the matter for effect.”

The AIFF also raised questions regarding Stimac’s contract, with primarily the failure to follow the instruction of including termination clauses favourable to the AIFF before renewing his contract. Moreover, it also noted that although the decision regarding support staff is mostly left to Stimac, which was generally accepted, these choices caused heartburn among players.

The federation also criticized him for constantly passing on the buck and putting the blame on others rather than himself. Further, the AIFF said that Stimac’s coaching style and tactics were red-flagged not once but several times by many players.

One of the major incidents cited by AIFF related to Stimac’s behaviour during the 3rd AFC National Coaches Conference in Malaysia during May 2024. AIFF has claimed he lied to the AFC officials regarding his support staff, which was an attempt to garner sympathy at the cost of AIFF and India’s reputation.

The AIFF said the remarks of Stimac that Indian football was “imprisoned” was an attempt at shirking responsibility. “It is ironic that a person who was the prime person controlling the fortunes of the national team considers that Indian football is imprisoned and has not grown,” the statement said.

The AIFF expressed shock at Stimac’s public revelation that he had gone through heart surgery during his tenure. This shelter home also refuted the allegations that the contribution of AIFF was one of the causes for his heart condition; this statement by Stimac could only be a means of diverting attention from his medical fitness to coach.

As far as the timing of Stimac’s sacking was concerned, the AIFF said it was done in the national interest to see football in India progress further. They further added that Stimac was given an opportunity wherein he was allowed to part ways amicably with a three-month severance fee—that he refused and, according to the AIFF, made “unreasonable and unprofessional demands.”

“He was offered to part ways in mutual understanding. He refused the offer and instead made unreasonable and unprofessional demands. The AIFF was, thus, left with no option but 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,” the statement read.

The AIFF looks forward to turning the page and beginning a new chapter for Indian football along with its stakeholders and all the lovers of Indian football,” the AIFF said while concluding the statement admitting that change does not come easy.

While the AIFF had remained mum all the while, it came up with a reaction, which is, therefore, a significant development in this saga by the federation and the former head coach, characterized by complexities and tension that had been building up between them professionally.