123-year-old club Mohammedan Sporting decides to shut its football wing

Decision taken on Saturday in working committee meet. The club will not compete in major tournaments.

The club, second oldest in India, will not take part in the upcoming Durant Cup in Goa and I-League’s second division. (Source: File)

In what has come as a major blow to Indian football, Mohammedan Sporting, one of the oldest football clubs, has decided to shut its football wing due to financial crisis. A club with 123-year old history, Mohammedan Sporting has failed to pay salaries to its players and staff from the past three months.

The decision was taken on Saturday in a working committee meeting. It is also learnt that the club has not decided to shut shop but will not compete in major tournaments until they sort out licensing criteria and financial mess.

The club, second oldest in India, will not take part in the upcoming Durant Cup in Goa and I-League’s second division.

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Sporting was part of the ‘big three’ of Indian football besides Mohun Bagan and East Bengal based in Kolkata Maidan. It was formed in 1887 by the name of Jubliee Club. The name was changed to Mohammedan Sporting in 1891.

The club won the Calcutta Football League in 1934 to 1938, thus becoming the first Indian club to win the League for five consecutive years.

The club also won the I-League in 1940 and 1941. In 1940, Sporting were Durand Cup champions as well.

Mohammedan Sporting last tasted success when it won the Durand Cup in 2013 and IFA Shield in 2014 and was promoted to I-League’s tier-I.

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Dismissing reports that the club was being disbanded, president and MP Sultan Ahmed said: “We will not play in the I-League and Durand Cup in the upcoming season as the club is not able to meet club licensing criteria of the AIFF. We will make the club ready and develop the infrastructure and take part in the (second division) I-league from 2015-16 onwards.”

(With PTI inputs)