While informing this at a media conference to announce the changed schedule for the Federation Cup, AIFF president Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi said unlicensed agents act as middlemen in these cases. All clubs affiliated to the AIFF will be issued circular regarding the matter. The Federation will make it mandatory for the clubs to seek clearance from the AIFF before recruiting a foreign player. The AIFF will, in turn, check the player's credentials with the association issuing the transfer certificate before making him eligible to play in India.

The recent fracas over African players Friday Elaiho and Omollaja resulted in the AIFF requesting Fifa to intervene. Both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal had claimed that Elaiho had accepted advance payment for the season from them. Omollaja is in a fix, after tryingto shift to Calcutta, with Goa's Salgaocar, producing documents showing that he is bound by a contract to play for them for another season. While Elaiho's case has been resolved, with East Bengal no longer interested in him, Omolloja is likely to waste a year as Salgaocar is in an unrelenting mood.

Meanwhile, the new fixtures for the Federation Cup was declared today with the tournament opener between Mohun Bagan and FC Kochin, originally scheduled for August 19, being postponed to August 27. This step was necessitated after Kochin requested for a postponement as a few of their players will be doing services for the Indian junior side in Bangalore.

The final will now be held on September 13 in Calcutta.

Two changes in venue too was announced with Dasmunshi quoting ``unavoidable circumstances''. While the law and order situation has forced the shifting of the East Bengal-Jorba Durga pre-quarter final from Guwahati to Cuttack, heavy rains in Kochi have compelled the organisers to request Delhi to host theChurchill Brothers-Langsning FC match.

The AIFF also announced additional awards for the Man of the Tournament (Rs 1 lakh), the best goalkeeper (Rs 1 lakh) and the best referee (Rs 25,000).

These will be besides the cash prizes for the top four finishers. The AIFF had offered 10 matches to Doordarshan for telecast, but the national television network might show only eight.

The changed fixture:

Pre-quarter final: A 27-8-98 at Calcutta Mohun Bagan-FC Kochin

B 24-8-98 Delhi Churchill Brothers-Langsning FC

C 23-8-98 Goa Dempo-Vasco

D 23-8-98 Cuttack East Bengal-Jorba Durga

E 24-8-98 Mumbai Salgaocar-SBT

F 25-8-98 Delhi BSF-Tolllygunge Aggragami/Blood Mouth

G 27-8-98 Bangalore ITI-Air India/PSEB

H 27-8-98 Hyderabad Md Sporting-JCT

Quarter-final

P 30-8-98 Calcutta winners H-G

Q 28-8-98 Bangalore winners C-D

R 31-8-98 Mumbai Winners A-E

S 27-8-98 Delhi Winners B-F

Semi-final

Y 5-9-98Siliguri Winners S-Q

Z6-9-98 Calcutta Winners P-R

Losers' final

12-9-98 Calcutta losers Y-Z

Final

13-9-98 Calcutta Winners Y-Z