The All India Football Federation (AIFF) president, Praful Patel stepped down from his post on Wednesday following the appointment of a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday removed Praful Patel and his committee from managing the national body and have appointed a three- member Committee of Administrators (CoA) headed by former top court judge AR Dave to manage the organisation’s affairs.

Patel who has been the president of the AIFF since 2009 and has already completed three terms or 12 years, which is the maximum for a national body, took the opportunity to thank the Supreme Court for “bringing finality to a long pending issue since 2017”.

“During my tenure I have had the honour of serving Indian Football. I would like to thank all stakeholders of the football family including our players — both men and women, our State Associations, the clubs, AIFF officials, the media, the Union and State Governments, marketing partners and sponsors, and all the lovers of our beautiful game,” he said in a statement.