Overview
- The Sports Department inquiry, prepared by Special Secretary N. Prasanth, was submitted to Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, in a confidential file for the government to decide next steps.
- The report says a private sponsor claimed to have paid about Rs 126 crore but investigators found no bank records or documentary proof that the money reached the Argentine Football Association or that a legally binding tripartite contract existed.
- Investigators flagged multiple procedural failures, including the unilateral selection of Reporter Broadcasting Company as sponsor without competitive tender, disputed handing over and renovation arrangements for Kochi’s Kaloor stadium, and moves that proceeded without clear AIFF or FIFA approvals.
- The report recommends referral to the state Vigilance and Anti‑Corruption Bureau and central agencies such as the CBI, Enforcement Directorate and GST authorities to probe possible money‑laundering, FEMA and tax violations and the role of a US‑based intermediary.
- The episode has become a political flashpoint: the former sports minister, V. Abdurahiman, denies wrongdoing and says no public funds were lost, while the new UDF government is reviewing the report and may seek criminal and cross‑border probes that could broaden scrutiny of the sponsor and AFA ties.