 "Mohun Bagan removed from AFC Champions League Two after refusing to play in Iran")
Indian football club Mohun Bagan Super Giant have been dropped from the AFC Champions League Two by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for failing to travel to Iran for a Group A match against Tractor SC on 2 October. The Indian Super League (ISL) club Mohun Bagan had decided against travelling to Iran for the safety of their players as Iran launched a missile attack at Israel.
Read: Bagan made the right call by not travelling to Iran; now AFC must make a fair decision
Even the airspace above Iran was closed after the attack on Israel but the Asian Football Confederation in its statement on Monday said that Mohun Bagan were “considered to have withdrawn from the AFC Champions League Two” as they did not travel to Tabriz in Iran for the Champions League Two match.
“In accordance with Article 5.2 of the AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 Competition Regulations (the “Competition Regulations”), the Asian Football Confederation (the “AFC”) confirms that India’s Mohun Bagan Super Giant are considered to have withdrawn from the AFC Champions League Two™ competition after the club failed to report to Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran, for their AFC Champions League Two™ Group A fixture against Tractor FC on October 2, 2024,” the statement read.
AFC cancels opening match
The AFC added in its statement that any matches played by Bagan are “cancelled and considered null and void”.
“Consequently, all matches played by Mohun Bagan Super Giant are cancelled and considered null and void in accordance with Article 5.6 of the Competition Regulations. For the avoidance of doubt, no points and goals in the club’s matches shall be taken into consideration when determining the final rankings in Group A pursuant to Article 8.3 of the Competition Regulations.”
The Asian Football Confederation has now referred the matter to the relevant AFC Committee(s) to decide further penalties for the Indian football club.
Mohun Bagan had played one match so far in group A of the rebranded AFC Champions League Two, earning a goalless draw against Tajikistan’s Ravshan Kulob at the Salt Lake Stadium in September.
Mohun Bagan had asked for alternate venue
While Bagan were not comfortable travelling to Iran for the match, they had asked AFC to reschedule the match to name an alternate venue, media reports had stated
“We have decided to not travel to Iran keeping our players’ safety and security in mind, because that is paramount. We have also written to the ministry of external affairs as their advisory states that you can go to Iran or Israel on your own responsibility,” a club source said.
“We had our flight tickets booked and the hotel accommodation was also arranged, but we just couldn’t risk our players’ safety when the country is in a state of mourning.”
Despite all the requests and the risk of war, the AFC has decided to punish Bagan heavily.
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