Mohun Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen has been handed a stunning 8 game ban for his ‘derogatory comments’ about AIFF while also incurring a fine of Rs. 10 Lakhs. The decision has caused an uproar among Kolkata’s footballing fraternity, with Mohun Bagan fans uniting behind their manager and petitioning for the decision being reversed.
Earlier in the season, India’s governing body refused to reschedule an I-League game against DSK Shivajians, which left the Kolkata club with little recovery time to face Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng days later.
Sen took AIFF to task with his comments, saying “AIFF has to see for improvement of football. The Federation has been sold out. They have no standing now. We are going to Pune, then we go to China. I just heard that AIFF did not hear our words. This is how football is run in India. It's horrible.”
AIFF then issued Sen with a show-cause notice, taking umbrage at the Mohun Bagan coach’s comments. The disciplinary committee met on March 3rd to hand out the ban.
The full text of the AIFF Disciplinary Committee’s statement is here below:
The AIFF Disciplinary Committee met at the Football House in New Delhi today (March 03, 2016). The decisions taken by the committee follow below:-
Mr. Sanjoy Sen, Head Coach, Mohun Bagan, is charged for making derogatory statements against AIFF. Sanjoy Sen, is suspended for 8 (eight) matches & a fine of Rs. 10 Lakhs is imposed on him as provided in Article 58 of the AIFF Disciplinary Code.
In another case, Mr. Gumpe Rime, GK Coach of Shillong Lajong FC is suspended for 4 (four) matches & a fine of Rs. 30,000 is imposed on him as provided in Article 50-1-a & 58 of the AIFF Disciplinary Code, respectively for the use of abusive language against the referees decision.
Mariner fans unite behind Sen and petition to lift the ban
The eight-game ban is effectively a ban for the rest of the entire I-League season as there are only 8 games left for Bagan to play in this truncated 2015/16 I-League. Sanjoy Sen has guided his side to the top of the table so far, and looks set to defend the I-League title that Mohun Bagan won at the death last year.
Delhi-based Mariner fans submitted a petition to the AIFF as soon as the news broke, which the AIFF media officer accepted after a wait of 6 hours. The Kolkota club’s fans around the country have created many onlie petitions as well, hoping that public sentiment will make AIFF reverse the decision.
The Mariners have organized a protest at Barasat stadium in Bagan’s next game, with over 5000 supporters expected to don Sanjoy Sen masks in support of their coach. The protest against Sen’s ban has apparently crossed rivalries as one Bagan fan group claimed that East Bengal fans were ‘with them’.
