The AIFF has requested FIFA to make an exception in the world body's stringent rule of allowing lien to a player for a minimum period of six months to enable star striker Baichung Bhutia to turn out for Malaysian side Perak FC.
Bhutia, who top scored in East Bengal's historic triumph in the ASEAN Cup, landed a contract with Perak immediately thereafter to don the club's jersey in the Malaysia Cup.
However, the East Bengal executive committee has agreed to release the nimble-footed Sikkimese for a two-month period so that he could return in time for the red and gold brigade's national Football League and AFC Champions League campaigns.
But the contract has seeemingly run into rough weather with FIFA prescribing a minimum six-month period for a loan.
"I have made a special request to FIFA president Sepp Blatter to make an exception for Bhutia saying that he was emerging as an icon not only in India but also in Asia," AIFF president Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi told newspersons at Kolkata on Saturday.
"I have pleaded that Bhutia is fast emerging as the Sachin Tendulkar of football. And hence, such relaxations give to him will help in further developing Indian soccer, which has been shadowed by the onslaught of cricket," he said.
Dasmunshi said that he hoped to hear a positive response from FIFA by the end of next week.
Dasmunshi has also requested AFC to relax the ban on the AIFF's affiliate units on hosting foreign international tournaments till December this year.
The AFC had on December 11 last year, imposed a fine of $5,000 on the AIFF and slapped a one-year ban on its affiliates on hosting international tournaments, incensed at the AIFF's delay in submitting the report of a three-member probe committee on the controversial October 7, 2001, match between the Brazilian side Palmeiras and local giants East Bengal.
The IFA had declared East Bengal winners in the final which was called off midway into the first half following onfield violence which left footballers of both sides injured.
The Brazilian side later moved FIFA which forwarded the matter to AFC.
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