Opinion AIFF has much to answer for
Mohemmadan Sporting were relegated from the I-League on Monday. They did not go down quietly. It is tempting to dismiss the Kolkata club’s claim of getting a raw deal regarding the schedule of the last round of I-League matches as a case of them crying wolf. They, and several other clubs, have made it a […]
Mohemmadan Sporting were relegated from the I-League on Monday. They did not go down quietly. It is tempting to dismiss the Kolkata club’s claim of getting a raw deal regarding the schedule of the last round of I-League matches as a case of them crying wolf. They, and several other clubs, have made it a habit to moan about every decision the All India Football Federation (AIFF) makes, crying themselves hoarse each time.
On this occasion though, they seem to have a legitimate case. Mohammedan and Churchill Brothers, last year’s champions, were locked in an enthralling relegation battle, with only a point separating the two going into the final round of matches.
Under ideal circumstances, both would have played their final matches simultaneously, to ensure a level playing field. After all, leagues across the world follow this norm. Even the final group stage matches of the World Cup and every continental championship kick-off simultaneously so that no team has an unfair advantage. Enter the AIFF. Some baffling scheduling resulted in Mohammedan facing Mumbai FC on Sunday — a match they won — with Churchill in action the following day. The Goan side had 24 hours to digest the scale of what they had to achieve — they duly won their match to stay up.
As it was, the sequence of events that unfolded during Churchill’s match raised quite a few eye-brows. Officials from Churchill and the AIFF were at pains to convince all and sundry that this series of events is a coincidence. Just a line of coincidences. However, because of the perplexing schedule, the integrity of the match has been inadvertently put in question, even though it may have been played with the cleanest intent.
If Mohammedan officials are to be believed, they requested the AIFF several times to ensure their matches be held simultaneously with Churchill’s. The AIFF (are they ever short of reasons), however, expressed its inability, ridiculously citing lack of grounds as one of the reasons.
This is perplexing as the federation knows, only too well, about what goes on behind the scenes in the I-League. Though intent can never be proved, there are matches that have thrown up controversial results — Dempo’s 14-0 win over Air India, which influenced the relegation battle, in the penultimate match of the 2011 season is a classic example. This has been one of the closest and most gripping I-League seasons ever at both ends of the league table. Unfortunately, it will be remembered for wrong reasons.
Mihir is a senior correspondent based in Mumbai mihir.vasavda@expressindia.com
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