Banned or not banned? Mumbai City FC explain Anelka exclusion

Kolkata: First Nicolas Anelka was banned, then there was speculation that he would play and when the teams were announced at the Indian Super League opener between Atletico de Kolkata and Mumbai City FC, he was not even in the squad.

With Freddie Ljungberg already out of the opener due to a calf injury, the announcement that Anelka would be allowed to play in the first game was treated as a massive boost for the visiting team.

But manager Peter Reid explained his decision after his team’s 0-3 loss to Kolkata at Salt Lake stadium.

“The original plan was to play him and then go to FIFA (with adequate reasons as to why he was played),” he said, before adding, “but we decided against that because it would put Anelka and football as a whole in a tough situation.”

Reid explained that there was ongoing communication with Fifa over the matter: “We are still trying to get clarification on the matter. What I can tell you is that we didn’t play him tonight because we didn’t get any official confirmation from Fifa that he could play. We’re still waiting for that.”

Anelka was given a global ban for his ‘quenelle’ gesture in a Premier League match he was playing for West Bromwich Albion. The responsibility of making sure that the English FA’s ban is implemented automatically passed on to the football body he would next play under — in this case, the All India Football Federation.

However, there was speculation that he would be allowed to play with the argument that it was in a tournament which was promoting football.

Mumbai City FC, which looked very sharp in their pre-match friendlies with Anelka in the side, seemed to miss the Frenchman’s creative and finishing abilities against a Kolkata side which was full strength.

Goals from Ethiopian Fikru Teferra and Spaniards Borja Fernandez and Arnal Llibert helped the home team to a 3-0 win.