Explained: How the 2024-25 I-League season ended without a champion

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Even by the I-League's standards of late, dramatic finishes, the 2025 season is unique. The season is officially over but, thanks to a dispute that goes back all the way to January 13, there's no winner yet. Two teams are celebrating, publicly and in style, each believing they've won the title - and, with it, the hugely lucrative promotion to the ISL. And the committee formed to settle the dispute will meet only on April 28.

On one hand, Churchill Brothers, a storied club celebrating a historic I-League triumph and a return to the spotlight. On the other, Inter Kashi, in just their second year of existence, celebrating an unprecedented triumph at Kalyani, West Bengal (yeah, they don't play out of Kashi, Uttar Pradesh, yet).

The cast of characters also includes Cledson Carvalho da Silva (De, or if you go by the back of his shirt, Degol) - the most colourful, if not the most important person in this drama. He plays for neither club but it's his actions on January 13 that started the ball rolling.

Confused? You're not alone, but hopefully we have the answers for you.

Wait, hang on, isn't the league over?

Indeed. Churchill Brothers top the table with 40 points, Inter Kashi are second with 39.

So... Churchill Brothers will be in the ISL next season, right?

You would think so... but no. Inter Kashi have an AIFF Appeals Committee hearing pending that could see them awarded three points if they win it. It's then a matter of simple math: 39+3 > 40.

A hearing about what?

Now that, there's nothing simple about. It all goes back to January 13 when Inter Kashi lost to Namdhari FC 0-2. Enter Cledson Carvalho de Silva aka De aka Degol. He didn't score, but that's immaterial in this case, all that matters is that he played the whole ninety plus nine minutes of added on time.

Inter Kashi argue that he should have played exactly zero minutes - because he should have been serving a suspension for getting four yellow cards over the previous seven games of the season. They raised this issue with the AIFF Disciplinary Committee (DC) and got the 0-2 loss reversed to a 3-0 win in a Feb 24 ruling. Three points to Kashi.

That should have been that, but Namdhari appealed the DC decision and on March 28, the appeals committee stayed the DC order that reversed the result. Zero points, again, to Kashi.

Inter Kashi have appealed to have their three points against Namdhari FC reinstated. AIFF Media

Naturally, Kashi appealed the result of the appeal.

Why was there any confusion here? De either had four yellows, or not, surely?

This is a term anyone who deals with Indian football will hear way too often, but yes, you would think so.

Having gone back and checked the official AIFF records, it's clear that De received atleast three yellows before the Inter Kashi match (match 1 vs Delhi, match 3 vs Dempo, match 7 vs Churchill).

In one match (Real Kashmir), though, he appears to have received both a yellow card and a red card. The yellow was for a foul in the 62nd minute of the game, after which a brief fracas ensued, and seemingly on advice of the fourth official, a red was shown to De. Now, the AIFF match center for the match clearly shows both -- a yellow in minute 62 and a red in minute 63 -- in which case the yellow counts toward making it four yellows leading up to the Kashi match.

Namdhari's appeal to the committee doesn't mention this confusion, but rather says, "AIFF CMS portal did not show the player was banned for the Inter Kashi and therefore the player was fielded for the game."

Why are we doing all this research? Don't the AIFF know all this already?

You wou...

Ah, of course. So, when will we know who's won the league?

The Appeals Committee have slated that hearing for April 28.

April 28!!? That's...

22 whole days after the final match of the I-League has been played, yes.

Why can't the Appeals Committee meet... today?

Only the AIFF knows. Perhaps they are yet to wrap their heads around the concept of a quick Zoom call?

What exactly are the AIFF saying about all this?

Let me quote to you the headline of the official AIFF media team match report: "Inter Kashi defeat Rajasthan United to keep title hopes alive"

Er... and the teams?

Both teams appear to believe they have won it and are celebrating it like two boxers looking to sway the judges.

Both put out videos of celebrations in their respective dressing rooms after their final match of the season. Inter Kashi players hurled Antonio Habas in the air in the traditional trophy-winning celebration while Churchill Alemao declared that it would be an all-night party in Goa.

"Championships are won on the pitch - not in court," posted the Churchill insta account.

But are they?

You wou...

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