New Delhi: Two months after Inter Kashi won at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, decks have been cleared within the All India Football Federation to anoint them as I-League champions.
The AIFF had formed a two-member committee on September 11 to ratify CAS’ decision, which has ruled in favour of Inter Kashi in its submitted report.
“The decision of CAS has been upheld,” a person aware of the development told News9 Sports, with the report also recommending Kashi’s subsequent promotion to the country’s topmost league.
“Yes, the committee has submitted its report but I can’t speak on it,” an AIFF official said, when asked for a comment on the matter.
On July 18, the Swiss Court declared Kashi as champions, ruling in their favour in an appeal against the AIFF, Churchill Brothers, Namdhari FC and Real Kashmir over registration of a foreigner (Marco Barco).
By then the AIFF had declared Churchill as champions and even handed over the trophy to the Goan club, which they are yet to return claiming the matter is subjudice at the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.
Churchill have even sued the AIFF in Delhi High Court and want Kashi to be disqualified for “grave discrepancies and noncompliances” of conditions accepted to play in the I-League, with the matter scheduled to be heard on Wednesday.
Two wins in court
Kashi had filed their appeal at CAS on June 23, seeking to overturn AIFF appeal committee’s May 31 decision to announce Churchill as champions.
After a hearing on July 15, a CAS panel overturned appeal committee’s judgement, the second such instance where Kashi’s appeal was upheld at the cost of the AIFF, on whom heavy fines were levied.
In its argument, the AIFF said its league committee wasn’t “competent” to interpret I-League regulation on the matter.
Earlier on June 17, CAS ruled in favour of Kashi over fielding of an ineligible player in their match against Namdhari on January 13.
We knew on April 6th 🏆
The World knows today 🤭
Inter Kashi. Remember the name! 💯#IndianFootball #HarHarKashi #Kashi #ILeague pic.twitter.com/c8y7EWTNJt
— Inter Kashi (@InterKashi) July 18, 2025
While the two-member committee’s report settles the matters on top of the I-League, its status on relegation down at the bottom remains hazy as the matter remains pending in two separate judicial bodies.
Delhi FC and SC Bengaluru, the bottom two finishing teams, have filed their appeals at the appeal committee and CAS.
The appeal committee had issued a stay order on relegation while SC Bengaluru await a hearing date from the Lausanne-based court.