The President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Kalyan Chaubey, is facing fresh scrutiny following allegations of harassment made by Valanka Alemao, the head of the AIFF Women’s Committee, during an Executive Committee meeting in New Delhi. The formal accusations have reignited concerns about governance and behavior in Indian football.
The incident reportedly occurred at the AIFF Executive Committee gathering at the Football House on March 29, where Alemao claimed she was subjected to “heckling and harassment” by senior officials. This controversy emerged shortly after Alemao had voiced significant concerns about administrative failures during India’s Women’s Asian Cup campaign.
In a letter to Exco members, Alemao outlined her grievances against Chaubey and other officials, stating, “I wish to place on record the entirely disgusting behaviour of the AIFF President Mr Kalyan Chaubey, Vice President Mr N. A. Haris and Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan.” She felt marginalized and alleged that the President made disrespectful remarks and attempted to stifle her voice during the meeting.
Valanka Alemao, currently heading the AIFF Women’s Committee, is a prominent figure in Indian football administration. She also holds the position of CEO at Churchill Brothers Football Club Goa and is the daughter of former Goa Chief Minister Churchill Alemao.
Alemao’s clash with Chaubey appears to stem from underlying administrative disagreements within the AIFF. As the women’s committee chief, she previously raised concerns to Chaubey regarding what she perceived as a series of errors during India’s Women’s Asian Cup campaign, highlighting issues ranging from team management to decision-making transparency.
In response, the AIFF presented a different narrative leading up to the harassment complaint. The federation alleged that Alemao and her family had attempted to secure Churchill Brothers’ inclusion in the Indian Super League through unofficial channels, resorting to questionable tactics when unsuccessful. The federation cited existing league regulations and approvals as barriers to accommodating their request.
The ongoing dispute between Kalyan Chaubey and Valanka Alemao underscores the governance challenges facing Indian football, particularly amid administrative and structural complexities in the sport.