I-League: AIFF rejects bids of three clubs, asks to apply again

Kolkata: The I-League bid evaluation committee on Friday asked the three prospective teams to bid again if they want to be part of the league as all three of them could not tick all the boxes in order to meet the criteria.

According to sources close to the development, Crown Sports from Rajasthan, Kerala`s Gokulam FC and Bengaluru`s Ozone FC had interviews with the bid evaluation committee members where they were told to make fresh bids as they could not meet "100 per cent" criteria, a source said.

"We are happy that three corporates have expressed their interest to invest in Indian football by their participation in I-League.

"Though none of them could qualify as per the report submitted by Pricewater Coopers, the official evaluator of the bids, they along with other interested corporates would now again get a chance to resubmit the bid as the committee unanimously decided to go for re-tendering," committee chairman Subrata Dutta told IANS.

A source added that the three had assured that would bid again and fulfill the remaining criteria to be part of the I-League season from November.

"Since the last date to submit bid documents was 8th August, they have to bid again in a fresh manner picking up the documents again," the source added.

The deadline is till the end of this month.