Bengaluru offer to play friendly tie in Srinagar AIFF assures EB on security measures
which is an integral part of our great country.”
There was an immediate response from Real Kashmir. “Thank you @Parthjindal11 and @bengalurufc. Let’s do this. We and the people of Kashmir would be more than glad to host you. March? What say? We promise the most electric football atmosphere! Let’s play to heal. Let’s pray together for the departed and share the grief of bereaved.”
During the 1996 cricket World Cup Australia had refused to travel to Sri Lanka citing security reasons and lost points. To counter that the then BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya had sent a combined Indo-pak team under skipper Mohammad Azharuddin to play an exhibition match at the Premadasa Stadium where Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram, Mohammad Azharuddin, Saeed Anwar, Anil Kumble and Waqar Younis played in the same team.
FRIDAY HEARING
I-league defending champions Minerva on Monday moved the Delhi Hight Court after the AIFF refused to relocate their match against Real Kashmir from Srinagar. AIFF has placed the matter in front of their own league committee for a decision, which is also waiting for the court verdict.
Minerva Punjab’s petition is expected to come up for hearing on Friday, the club’s lawyers said, insisting that the team’s “well-founded” fears have been ignored. Amitabh Tiwari, the counsel for Minerva, said the club will not object if the court directs it to first go to the I-league committee to sort out the issue. KOLKATA: Around the time East Bengal released to the media their letter to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) stating the concern of the club management and Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez Garcia about playing in Srinagar, the federation replied that their match against Real Kashmir would kick off as scheduled at 2pm on February 28.
In Kolkata, East Bengal official Debabrata Sarkar told the media that Garcia, the foreigners in the team’s support staff and the players’ roster are apprehensive about travelling to Srinagar after the recent terrorist attack.
“We are not going the Minerva Punjab way. We will play on the date given if required but we are appealing to the AIFF to defer the game till normality returns,” said Sarkar. Minerva Punjab did not show up for their away match against Real Kashmir on Monday and have moved court.
The AIFF wants to finish the I-league by March 10 because the Super Cup, a competition that includes I-league and the Indian Super League teams, is scheduled to start on March 14.
POSITIVE RESPONSE
The AIFF’S response to East Bengal, according to a federation official who spoke over the phone from New Delhi, included assurance from local authorities about security. The official requested anonymity given the sensitive nature of the issue.
The AIFF response, the official said, also mentioned that apart from match officials, federation’s representatives too would travel for the game between title-contenders.
East Bengal and Real Kashmir are second and third respectively after 16 rounds of the 2018-19 I-league.
Both teams have 32 points but East Bengal have a superior goal difference. With three matches to go, leaders Chennai City have 37 points from 17 rounds in the I-league.