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Internet Desk: I League suffered a huge blow as Sporting Clube de Goa joined Salgaocar SC in pulling out of the forthcoming I League. Another Goan outfit, five times I League champions Dempo SC have also threatened to pull out following the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and IMG-Reliance’s proposed structure for the new domestic season next year onward as the reason.

According to Peter Vaz, Chairman of Sporting Clube de Goa, “AIFF’s decision to have no promotion and relegation in the new format is shocking.”

The new structure will have a two tier league, with ISL being the Tier 1 and I League getting the status of Tier 2. Tier 1 will have no relegation and promotion according to the proposed structure.

“We had already given a suggestion to improve the league structure. But the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and IMGR has already announced a two-tier system for Indian football, which would make the ISL as the Premier League of the country followed by I League, which will be rechristened as League One,” said Mr Vaz to xtratime.in from Goa.

The Sporting Clube de Goa Chairman also alleged, “Since the new model is formulated heavily in favour of the franchise, it will be extremely difficult for clubs like us to be part of the ‘pay to play’ franchise model.”

Sporting Clube has joined a growing list of clubs who have withdrawn from the competition in the last few years. After Mahindra United and JCT Phagwara shut shop in 2010 and 2011 respectively, other major teams like Pune FC, Royal Wahingdoh , Bharat FC and Salgaocar too have pulled out recently, severely weakening the I-League’s foundations. Dempo too is likely to follow the footsteps of Salgaocar and Sporting.

Sporting, who earlier attended the licensing workshop of AIFF in Mumbai were recently granted the

 license by the Club Licensing Committee of I-League. Dempo on the other hand were promoted after winning the I-League Second Division earlier in the year.

Dempo owner Srinivas Dempo has also hinted to move in the same direction as Salgaocar and Sporting. Speaking from Goa, Dempo owner Srinivas Dempo said to xtratime.in, “We have not yet decided. We will sit with the AIFF President Praful Patel and take a call.”

 Meanwhile, the bid evaluation committee of the AIFF will sit down together at Football House on Wednesday to decide on the future of three new franchises who have submitted their bid documents for a direct entry in the league. FC Bardez of Goa, Minnerva Academy FC of Chandigarh and Chennai City FC of Chennai are the three franchises that have submitted the bid documents.