Dempo Sports Club, on Wednesday, withdrew from the I-League for the upcoming season in protest against AIFF's proposed roadmap to restructure domestic football, dealing another body blow to the sport in India.
Earlier, Salgaocar FC and Sporting Dempo FC had pulled out of the league.
All the three Goan club owners -- Shivanand Salgaocar, Shrinivas Dempo and Peter Vaz, had taken a united stand on 23rd June, 2016 to oppose the restructuring that makes Indian Super League(ISL) a top-tier league and relegates I-League to the second division or 'League One' as it will be called.
With the deadline for submitting the participation agreement ending on Wednesday, Dempo wrote to the AIFF that they too have pulled out from the I-League.
The five-time champions, Dempo's pull-out leaves the AIFF with a major headache as the I-League is now left with only seven clubs -- East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru FC, DSK Shivajians, Mumbai FC, Shillong Lajong and Aizawl FC, who were reinstated after being relegated last season.
Dempo Sports Club sealed a comeback to the elite I-League after topping the Second Division I-League in May earlier this year.
Only the winning team of second division I-League gets automatic promotion to the I-League first division.
IMAGE: The victorious Dempo SC players with patron Srinivas Dempo, centre
Photograph: I League/Twitter
