I-League 2017-18: Mohun Bagan lodge complaint with AIFF about 'refereeing gaffe' during Chennai City clash

Kolkata: Realising that their I-League title hopes have been completely dashed post 1-2 defeat at the hands of Gokulam Kerala on Monday, a desperate Mohun Bagan shot off a letter to AIFF claiming that a refereeing error cost them full points during an earlier match against Chennai City on 7 February. Hours after their defeat, Bagan director Debashis Dutta shot off a letter to the I-League CEO Sunando Dhar, mentioning refereeing “gaffe that deprived them of three points”. [caption id=“attachment_4284423” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of match between Mohun Bagan and Chennai City FC. Image Courtesy: I-League[/caption] Mohun Bagan alleged that Tarif Akhand of Chennai City continued to play till the final whistle despite shown two yellow cards (39th and 80th minutes). “…as per rule, the referee should have showed him red card for his second caution, but he continued… With this error an ineligible player continued to play for 15 minutes. Why would a team suffer from such an error?” Dutta asked in the mail also marked to the All India Football Federation secretary Kushal Das. Mohun Bagan cited example of Sunday’s decision by the AIFF disciplinary committee, which has revoked the red card of Edwin Vanspaul in the same match because of a refereeing error. “We demand that three points be awarded to us which will do justice to the verdict of the disciplinary committee,” he wrote. It however appears strange why Mohun Bagan did not raise the issue immediately after the match and waited five days to demand three points.