I-League title means the world to Churchill Bros: Valanka Alemao

Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has only declared Churchill Brothers as “provisional leaders” after they finished their I-League engagements on top of the table with 40 points. It’s a strange title at the end of the league, but those who gathered at the Goa international airport, Dabolim, were left in no doubt.
“Who are the champions,” the players shouted as they stepped out of the airport late on Monday. “Churchill Brothers,” was the prompt reply from the rest of the contingent and the fans who had gathered to give their team a champions welcome.
The banners everywhere proclaimed Churchill as the winners. The celebrations loud and clear.
“This title means the world to us,” club CEO Valanka Alemao told TOI as she joined the team’s vociferous celebrations. “My father (Churchill Alemao) has given everything for Indian football. We have won every trophy existing in the country, except the ISL, where we have not participated. This moment belongs to my father. For him, football comes first. Football is like family to him, and then it's politics. This man deserves everything.”
Alemao has been running the football team for close to 40 years. Churchill have won the I-League title twice in the past. Their third title – subject to the AIFF appeals committee decision later this month – would, however, taste much sweeter as it would take them to the top-tier ISL on sporting merit.
“This title is very, very well deserved because the boys have slogged for 10 months, being away from their homes and families. This title is special because it was my father’s dream, and it has now come true. This has made him 20 years younger,” said Valanka.
The club CEO didn’t want to speak on the AIFF’s decision to keep the announcement, and trophy, on hold. That’s understandable. After all, Valanka is the federation’s executive committee member. “I will only say one thing: championships are won on the pitch, and not in offices and court rooms.”
The first battle for the I-League crown will be at the AIFF appeals committee hearing on April 28. Churchill finished with 40 points after the draw against Real Kashmir, but Inter Kashi – whose tally of 39 points has an asterisk around it – could still be crowned champions.
Kashi’s disputed clash against Namdhari FC is under review by the appeal committee. There’s a stay on the three points granted to them by the disciplinary committee after Namdhari were alleged to have fielded an ineligible player. If the ruling goes Kashi’s way, they’ll be awarded three points, taking them to 42 and snatching the title right from Churchill.
“The three stars on our jersey and on our crest have been earned on sporting merit. These stars cannot be sacrificed at the altar of adjudication delays which have arisen due to the AIFF's shortcomings,” the club said in a statement on Monday.
The club said it is inconceivable that the season gets over and a title gets awarded after being placed in a limbo due to the court processes. Whatever the decision of the appeals committee, it can still be challenged.
“The AlFF needs to answer many questions. It must answer why cases filed against Inter Kashi for fielding ineligible players by four clubs -- Namdhari, Real Kashmir, Delhi FC and Churchill Brothers -- are not even listed, despite them getting filed as far back as March 29 and April 1. It seems as if the AlFF anticipates an adverse decision against Inter Kashi in those cases and is therefore content to let the cases not even get listed before judicial bodies,” said Churchill.