Lalit Modi may now dabble in IPL-style football league

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/lalit-modi-may-now-dabble-in-iplstyle-football-league/1174541/

Shamik Chakrabarty : Kolkata, Thu Sep 26 2013, 10:30 hrs

According to an All India Football Federation (AIFF) insider, Modi recently spoke to AIFF president Praful Patel.

Lalit Modi's immediate future in cricket looks bleak but it is learnt that the expunged former Indian Premier League chairmanmight shift his attention to football with an intention to launch a global franchise-based league.

According to an All India Football Federation (AIFF) insider, Modi recently spoke to AIFF president Praful Patel. However, the details of their conversation is not known.

"Only time will show I am right. I have no reason to be remorse about this as I got to live and create my dream. Ban not going to stop me," Modi wrote on his Twitter handle after the BCCI Special General Meeting (SGM) on Wednesday.

"I will launch a global league in another sport very soon," he also said, informing that he would be off to Old Trafford to watch Wednesday's League Cup fixture between Manchester United and Liverpool. However, it waits to be seen if Modi will return to India even if he manages to launch a football league. Modi has claimed that there is a threat to his life, the reason he uses to justify why he stays in the United Kingdown.

He also faces a probe from the Enforcement Directorate.

Interestingly, Modi initially wanted to launch the Indian Premier League-type tournament in football and had approached the then AIFF president Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

Modi sold his idea to the BCCI only because he received a lukewarm response from the football administrators. The BCCI, on the other hand, saw huge business potential in his idea and the IPL was born in 2008.

"The BCCI ban on me was predictable to say the least and I am not perturbed about it," Modi said in a statement on Wednesday.