The referee for the finals of the second edition of ISL which was played at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa on December 20, 2015 between FC Goa and Chennayin FC is loaded with controversies. The referee for the finals Yamamoto Yudai was biased and totally one-sided, even an ordinary footballer as a referee would have managed the finals in a better way. His allegation that FC Goa’s players and management attacked him was totally false and fabricated.
Throughout the matches when FC Goa played, the referees gave step motherly treatment to the FC Goa players. The two penalties awarded to Chennaiyin were not warranted. The referees many a time spoils the game and many referees were shot dead in some parts of the world for their biased refereeing. The FC Goa’s defeat from the jaws of victory sent shock waves throughout the world.
On the part of FC Goa’s defence, when there were three minutes left they should have defended with more army instead of a single defender in Gregory Arnolin. In India’s I-League, the refereeing are not better either. It may be recalled that some years back, the Churchill Brothers patron Churchill Alemao had offered fifty thousand rupees to give better training for the Indian referees. The FC Goa’s officials and management should send the video clippings to the AIFF of the poor and biased refereeing of the finals by Yamamoto Yudai and its other officials. Finally, the referees report will have the weight and his bad refereeing which robbed off FC Goa’s victory will be history and the wound will not heal until the third edition of ISL starts next year.
Goa’s reputation as a football loving state will be intact even hundreds of Yamamoto Yudai say that no international footballers will come to India. The AIFF should ban the Japanese referees from inviting to officiate the matches in India. Goans cannot forget the Salgoankars and Dempos for their love for football and keeping Goa’s flag flying high since last more than fifty years.
The quartert of Dempo-Sesa Goa-Vasco-Salgaonkar is embedded in the hearts of every Goan as far as football is concerned. On December 20, after the finals, every Goan was discussing the bad refereeing and how much money Chennayin’s boss must have paid to the referee as a bribe to win the championship as it was visible from the start of the match when Duddu was attacked. The referees world over are spoiling the game of football and they should be warned by the football association.
