PANJIM: With the Indian Super League Appeals Regulatory Commission expected to deliver its verdict on Saturday, July 9, all eyes will be on FC Goa as their fate will be decided.
Earlier, keeping the interest of the sport and football at large, exercising their right to appeal as per the league rules, the Football Sports Development Limited, a joint venture of IMG-Reliance and Star India, which are also the organizers of Indian Super League, have registered an appeal to the ISL Appeals Committee with reference to the Regulatory Commissions over verdict of docking 15 points of FC Goa for the season 2016.
If the ISL regulatory sticks to its decision of docking 15 points, it would be an unbalanced start for FC Goa and their campaign will start on a negative note which will directly affect the morale and spirit of the team as well of the huge FC Goa fan base. The 15-point deduction in an eight-team tournament which has 42 points to play in an entire single season is more, and this is termed as the worst decision by a regulatory commission anywhere in the world.
Post defeat in the season two ISL final in December 20, 2015, FC Goa’s entire team had boycotted the prize distribution ceremony at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda as per the directive from the owners.
FC Goa alleged that Chennaiyin FC’s striker Elano Blumer had manhandled their co-owner Dattaraj Salgaocar after the final thus the Goan team threatened to boycott the ceremony as Elano failed to apologise which prompted Dattaraj to lodge a complaint with the local police for assault and immediately the Brazilian was arrested. Salgaocar also alleged that the final match was fixed in favour of Chennaiyin FC.
According to the rules and regulations of the ISL, all franchises participating in the league should sign their chief coach by July 1 but FC Goa missed this opportunity and asked for more time with the ISL authorities due to the pending hearing which is expected on Saturday.
Keenan Almeida, Pratesh Shirodkar and Debabrata Roy are the only three players who have been signed by Goan franchise for the third edition while there are many other players whose signings have been put on hold.
Meanwhile, Laxmikant Kattimani, Luis Barreto, Mandar Rao Desai, Nicolau Colaco, Victorino Fernandes and Joaquim Abranches extension contract has been put on hold.
Thongkhosiem Haokip, who played for FC Goa last season, was the only player to move to Kerala Blasters FC on Thursday.
Jofre Mateu González is the lone foreign player to have extended his contract with the franchise, sources said, adding that the decision as to who will coach the team for this season has been put on hold for the moment.
Sources further informed that the club is in talks with the Brazilian legend Zico over contract renewal.
The ISL Regulatory Commission came down heavily on FC Goa announcing that 15 points will be docked of the club in the upcoming third edition for their unacceptable behaviour after the final of the second edition last year.
It also imposed a fine of Rs 11 crore and banned the two co-owners Shrinivas Dempo and Dattaraj Salgaocar from entering the stadium during the league. Salgaocar has been slapped with a three-year ban while Dempo for two years. Rs 10 crore of the fine will go to Football Sports Development Ltd (FSDL), the entity of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) which looks in the field of football and the remaining amount will have to be given to Chennaiyin FC.
In the final order by the committee, FC Goa were found in breach of ISL Regulations and Code of Conduct for bringing disrepute to the ISL, following the unfortunate incident.
Retired High Court justices D.A. Mehta and B.N. Mehta, former Mumbai DGP D. Sivanandan, ex-India cricketer Kiran More and sports law expert Vidhushpat Singhania were part of the commission that slapped the outfit with such a heavy punishment.
Meanwhile, the All India Football Federation Appeals Regulatory Committee will announce its verdict on July 14.
When contacted FC Goa Chief Executive Officer Sukhwinder Singh refused to offer a comment on the matter at present stage.
