PANJIM: Goa’s Indian Super League franchise FC Goa is in the limelight yet again for the wrong reasons.
Chennaiyin FC marquee player Elano Blumer’s arrest following the 2015 ISL final at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on December 20 led to a massive controversy, with the former Brazilian international being accused of assaulting FC Goa co-owner and industrialist Dattaraj Salgaocar.
However, video footage aired by a leading national News TV channel showed Elano did nothing that merited an arrest by Goa Police.
The alleged unedited footage clearly showed that Elano did not attack or get physical with anybody and that he was taken into police custody only at the behest of FC Goa owners.
A five-member ISL regulatory commission is meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday to decide the quantum of punishment. The exclusive video is also being presented as part of evidence.
On December 20, Chennaiyin FC defeated FC Goa 3-2 in the final and a fight broke out. Elano was accused by Salgaocar of physically assaulting him in an altercation that occurred at the home team’s dugout after the final whistle.
He filed an FIR in a local police station and subsequently Elano was arrested. Elano was slapped with charges under Indian Penal Code (IPC) 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace). Elano was subsequently released but only after spending a night in police custody.
“We have maintained that on December 20 Elano Blumer was in the FC Goa dug out following the final whistle when he shouldn’t have been. It is here that an untoward incident occurred and the player was asked to leave the FC Goa dug out,” the spokesperson said.
