AIFF president Chaubey reported to FIFA ethics after Valanka Alemao alleges intimidation

AIFF executive committee member Valanka Alemao has reported federation president Kalyan Chaubey to FIFA’s ethics processes after alleging she was heckled, harassed and repeatedly targeted during an executive committee meeting in New Delhi on March 29.Alemao, who chairs the AIFF Women’s Football Committee and is also CEO of I-League club Churchill Brothers, said the conduct amounted to intimidation and was linked to her raising governance and process concerns during the session.In an email circulated to other executive committee members, Alemao criticised Chaubey, vice-president N A Haris and deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan. Alemao wrote: “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…. I feel deeply prejudiced and I found that several attempts were made by the President to suppress my voice….”Alemao alleged the tone in the room was deliberately raised to silence her. Alemao wrote: “He along with the DSG raised his tone time and again beyond an acceptable decibel with the intention to intimidate me….. Throughout the course of the meeting, I was consistently targeted.”She said executive committee members have a duty to ask questions on major decisions and agreements, and claimed she was discouraged from seeking detail. Alemao wrote: “As an executive committee member, I have the power and responsibility to enquire about important agreements, provide feedback and voice my dissent on decisions that are unconstitutional and illegal.”Chaubey has denied wrongdoing and dismissed the allegation, questioning the basis of the complaint. Chaubey said: “Somebody needs to ask what the meaning of ‘heckle’ is.”The AIFF also rejected Alemao’s claims in a statement and said its meetings and decisions follow its rules. The federation said: “The AIFF categorically rejects the recent claims made by Executive Committee Ms. Valanka Alemao and wishes to place certain facts on record in the interest of transparency and clarity.”The AIFF statement also pushed back on Alemao’s position inside the federation, suggesting her role at Churchill Brothers creates a conflict given the club’s interest in top-tier league outcomes, and accused her and her family of applying pressure on federation processes.The FIFA ethics element raises the stakes for the AIFF at a moment when Indian football is already navigating legal disputes and governance questions, with clubs and commercial partners watching closely how complaints involving senior leadership are handled.