Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Igor Stimac Accuses AIFF Chief of Damaging Asian Games Squad
Igor Stimac was talking about problems with India’s football team.
He blamed Kalyan Chaubey, the president of the All India Football Federation, for hurting the Asian Games squad.
Stimac said he suggested ways to support the team.
He said those ideas were not put into practice.
He also said officials made promises that were not fulfilled.
Stimac believed India had an important chance in the World Cup qualifiers.
He said some clubs did not want to let their players join the national team.
These disagreements started before the Asian Games.
Igor Stimac accused AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey of destroying India’s Asian Games squad.
Stimac said his proposals for team support and World Cup qualifying preparations were not implemented.
He claimed the prospect of reaching the World Cup qualifiers’ final round was a major opportunity for Indian football.
According to Stimac, officials made promises but little resulted from them.
Stimac said problems began before the Asian Games when clubs were unwilling to release players for the national team.
- Who
- Igor Stimac, Kalyan Chaubey, Indian football clubs, and India’s national football team.
- What
- Stimac accused Chaubey of damaging the Asian Games squad and criticized the handling of team support and player releases.
- When
- The problems described by Stimac began before the Asian Games; no specific date was provided.
- Why
- Stimac said his proposals were not implemented, promises were not fulfilled, and clubs resisted releasing players for national-team duty.
- Speaker
- Igor Stimac
- Accused official
- Kalyan Chaubey, president of the All India Football Federation
- Main dispute
- Stimac said the Asian Games squad was undermined by organizational problems.
- World Cup opportunity
- Stimac described reaching the final round of World Cup qualifiers as a historic opportunity for Indian football.
- Unfulfilled support
- Stimac said his proposed team-support measures were not implemented.
- Player availability
- Stimac said clubs did not want to release players for the national team before the Asian Games.