New Delhi: The All India Football Federation has been urged to launch an inquiry into a “violation” of its constitution to appoint Amelia Valverde as the senior national women’s team head coach, followed by a “series of blunders” in the build-up to their 2026 Asian Cup participation.

A day before AIFF’s technical committee meets to offer a one-year contract extension to Valverde, women’s football committee chairperson Valanka Alemao questioned the procedure followed to hire the Costa Rican barely six weeks before the tournament.

Having qualified for the continental event on merit for first time since 2003, India finished bottom of their group with three consecutive losses with an accumulation of an aggregate score of 2-16, including an 11-0 loss to eventual champions Japan.

Through a letter to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey on Monday, Valanka, also a member of FIFA’s women’s football committee, said had “restrained” herself from writing earlier as she didn’t want to “distract” the team before and during their campaign.

“But after the team played and didn’t qualify for the next stage, questions must be asked and answers sought from those responsible for the series of blunders concerning the team as it has caused huge embarrassment to the country at large,” she wrote.

“In the first place, why was the Executive Committee and the AIFF Women’s Football Committee never consulted nor informed about certain decisions that were taken?

“Who decided to appoint Amelia Valverde of Costa Rica as the head coach along with her two assistants in January 2026 by sidelining Crispin Chhetri just six weeks before the tournament? What was the procedure that was followed for her appointment?”

India topped their qualifying group to qualify for the showpiece event under Crispin, who is unlikely to get an extension once his contract ends in March.

As per Article 71.3 of AIFF’s constitution “all processes for recruitment of individuals as well as engagement of contractors and/or service providers is to be done through a transparent and open tendering process, with notices of the same duly being posted on the AIFF website”.

India observe their national anthem ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 match between India and Chinese Taipei at Western Sydney Stadium on March 10, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Getty Images)

Valanka pointed out that the technical committee “cleared” the appointments without calling for any list of prospective candidates to be “prepared or advertised as it happened” while choosing the coach for the women’s team “without any knowledge” of the executive committee, of which she is also a member.

“Where was the need to bring in someone so close to the tournament and what was the cost of payments to all the three?,” she wondered.

“The aforesaid appointments without advertisements can be construed as violations of the AIFF Constitution.”

After multiple friendlies against club sides of Turkey and Australia, the team also experienced a jersey fiasco two days before the tournament opener on March 4 (1-2 loss to Vietnam).

Valanka said she had harped on “several areas” with regard to preparations, travel, stay, kits, etc in a women’s committee meeting in December 2025.

“But everything was goofed up with the National Teams’ department largely in the dark. Who decided to outsource all arrangements?,” she asked.

“Who decided to arrange friendly matches with totally sub-standard opposition abroad? The team played only three friendly Internationals, one against Iran and two against Nepal.

“More importantly, the team was made to play against mediocre club sides which got them no benefit. Who decided to send the team to Turkey instead of China, as was originally planned?

“Last but not the least, what happened to the kits provided to the Indian team? Who sent ill-fitting jerseys meant for junior players to Australia. Two days before the first match, the players had to ensure such bizarre shocks.”

AIFF has already launched an investigation into the jersey episode and Valanka said these questions “must be raised” and those who are “responsible for such blunders” must be “taken to task”, keeping in mind the U-17 and U-20 team’s participation in the Asian Cups of the respective age categories.

“We must ensure that the young girls will not have to endure all that the senior team members had to,” was her plea.

“I request you to convene an EC Meeting and discuss everything threadbare as also initiate action on the guilty officials.

“Furthermore, I request the AIFF administration to forward this email to the technical committee before the commencement of the next technical committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow.”

AIFF didn’t immediately respond when a reply was sought on the matter.