Chennaiyin's Harmanjot Khabra fined, suspended for showing dissent vs NE United

(Image courtesy ISL)

What ensued at Guwahati’s Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium on October 20 can be best described as shambolic. While the scoreline would tell us that hosts North East United listed their first win of the competition, their opponents on the day - Chennaiyin FC, have every reason to believe that they were treated unfairly by the referee on the day.

Not only were two penalties handed out to the hosts but what seemed like a small altercation in the closing stages of the first half saw Harmanjot Khabra being booked not once but twice within a minute.

The playmaker has already served the obligatory one match suspension but unfortunately for him and the franchisee, thats not quite the end of it.

A latest release from the organising committee confirmed that he has been further fined Rs 300,000 and suspended for three more matches for breach of All India Football Federation Disciplinary Code (Article 50) of Misconduct towards Match Officials during the aforementioned fixture.

Additionally the Disciplinary Committee have fined Chennaiyin Rs 150,000 for misconduct towards the opponent team (ISL Article 22.2) and misconduct (Article 53) resulting in Match Referee sanctioning more than 5 of their players during this game.

Khabra was sent off in the closing stages of first half vs NE United on October 20 (Image courtesy ISL)

As stern as it gets, the organising committee has pretty much jeopardised the youngster’s season. Khabra, who plies his trade for East Bengal in the I League will now miss the South Indian Derby in Cochin as well as two home fixtures against Goa and North East. While both he and marquee manager Marco Materazzi remained unavailable for comment, it is believed the team will appeal against the extension of the ban and will present their case in front of the disciplinary committee later this week.