In yet another act of negligence towards the state of football in India, Federation Cup champions Mohun Bagan were dealt a further financial blow. The Mariners, who lost their all-important round of 16 clash against Tampines Rovers were unable to sell tickets locally.
The Mariners decided to keep the box offices closed owing to security fears ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the North-Eastern state. The Prime Minister is set to visit the state of Assam after his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party won the recently concluded state election are on the verge of forming the state government.
“With, the number of fans expected and the security concern around the area, we decided against selling tickets on match day. We wanted the game to happen (without any further obstructions). That was our main objective. In no ways were we told not to sell tickets or restricted in any other way by the authorities,” said a source close to the situation on the condition of anonymity to Sportskeeda.
In the aftermath of AIFF’s controversial roadmap, this incident may feel like another low blow being dealt to an I-League club, especially heartbreaking for one which has managed to bring forth smiles to millions of faces as they romped home to a record 14th Federation Cup triumph. A victory made even sweeter by the manner in which they won the tournament. After thumping Shillong Lajong 5-0 over two legs in the semi-final, the Kolkata giants re-wrote history as they hit five again, this time in the final against Aizawl.
However, the joys of the shouts from their fans echoing from the stands have been shortlived for Mohun Bagan as unfortunate circumstances have led to the Mariners’ hierarchy cancelling the selling of tickets on the eve of the game at Guwahati. With Narendra Modi descending on the sporting complex at the stadium, the area has reportedly been sealed and the decision by Bagan’s hierarchy seems understandable.
Also Read: Mohun Bagan knocked out AFC Cup
Finding a home away from home
Mohun Bagan, who usually play their home matches at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake stadium) at Kolkata had to shift their matches to Assam, after the AIFF didn't give the Mariners permission to play at the stadium as it undergoes renovation work for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup.
That resulted in the Mohun Bagan officials shelling out Rs. 2.4 lakh to take the Guwahati ground on lease for the AFC Cup group games with the stadium at Barasat not matching the standards required to hold an AFC Cup game. The Mariners had to reportedly shell Rs. 3 lakh more if they wanted the game to take place at the Indira Gandhi Stadium.
In a recent interview with Indian international and Bagan midfield stalwart Pronay Halder, he had praised the fans for their support. He said they were one of the big reasons that they were able to forget the heartbreak of missing out on the I-League.
“I really thank the fans for their support. From the first game of the season till the Federation Cup final, they have been fantastic. We owe a lot to them. They came from all parts of the country and made the final feel like a home game,” said Pronay in a recent interview with Sportskeeda.
However, this unfortunate turn of events has left the club and the fans in a quandary as they won’t have their beloved supporters to back them in the all crucial clash.
All India Football Federation (AIFF) executive committee member Ankur Dutta, who is the man behind the scenes at Guwahati also shared his opinion on the situation. “The whole thing is on Mohun Bagan. We at Assam Football don’t have anything to do with the situation. Yes, we are having to manage the security situation with Mr. Modi coming in, but whole marketing of the game to the last decision taken on the box office lies with Mohun Bagan.”
But what good is it anyway?
This was certainly callous on the part of the Prime Ministerial office to overlook the hassles a club striving for national honours in the continental tournament might face. With the area of the stadium sealed only a few hours before such an important clash certainly shows yet again how low Indian Football ranks on any priority list.
However, if the bigger picture is taken into account, the jaded and cynical I-League fan may even ask if any of these issues make a difference anyway.
Even if Mohun Bagan had made it to the quarter-final of the tournament, it clashes with the pre-season of the Indian Super League. Thus, the question remains, even if they make good on their endeavours to reach the last eight, will the teams even be at their strongest?
Additionally, with India set to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup a couple of years from now and Narendra Modi himself encouraging the nation to take up the tournament to set an example to the whole world, this unprecedented situation could have easily been avoided.
