Chaubey should resign: Bhutia slams AIFF boss for random decisions

After India’s 0-1 loss to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia strongly criticised the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for reportedly offering players a $50,000 (Rs 42.73 lakh) bonus had they won. Following a goalless draw against Bangladesh in their opening match within Group C, India, ranked 127th, desperately needed a win. However, their hopes were dashed by a stoppage-time penalty, leading to another disappointing result against a team ranked 153rd.

Bhutia called for AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey to step down. “It’s been a terrible two-and-a-half to three years under Kalyan Chaubey’s [AIFF president] leadership. On-field performances have been poor, and off-field management has been chaotic, riddled with controversies. It’s time for him to step down for the sake of Indian football,” said Bhutia, going on to question the logic behind ad-hoc financial incentives. “We’ve seen reports that players haven’t received their daily allowance of R2500. Indian footballers don’t have central contracts. Their compensation comes from allowances. Suddenly, there’s a $50,000 prize to win a game. Where did this come from? Would the same bonus be given for the next four games? There’s no system, no strategy, just random decisions,” added Bhutia, who played 84 matches for India.