ISL 2018-19: Jamshedpur FC's Gourav Mukhi handed six-month suspension by AIFF over age-fraud charges

Jamshedpur FC player Gourav Mukhi has been slapped with a six-month suspension by the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) over age-fraud charges.

Gourav Mukhi of Jamshedpur FC scores against Bengaluru FC on 7 October. Image courtesy: ISL/SPORTZPICS

In a short statement released by the national football federation on Sunday, the AIFF said: “All India Football Federation (AIFF) Disciplinary Committee has imposed a six-month suspension on Jamshedpur FC player Gourav Mukhi with immediate effect. The AIFF Disciplinary Committee found the player Gourav Mukhi guilty on the basis of the evidence presented by him, his admissions and the statements of Manager of U-16 AIFF academy in 2015.

“In addition, the AIFF Disciplinary Committee also observed that the existing registration of Gourav Mukhi, both in the Central Registration System (CRS) as well as the Competition Management System (CMS) shall stand cancelled and revoked with immediate effect, with liberty upon the player/his appropriate club, to submit original valid appropriate documents for fresh registration under CRS and CMS.”

The forward was termed by the Indian Super League (ISL) as the youngest ever scorer in the tournament's history when he scored against Bengaluru FC in a league match. However, it took just a few hours for the truth to unravel. It was revealed that Mukhi, who was being called a 16-year-old, had been caught for age fraud in 2015 during a national championship. This had led to AIFF suspending the Jharkhand coach for one year and slapping a fine of Rs one lakh on the state association.

AIFF general secretary Kushal Das had even told PTI: “We will pass on the matter to the relevant committees — the players status committee first or the disciplinary committee to look into the discrepancy regarding his age. The discrepancy is regarding his passport which shows that he is 2002 born and a statement he issued in 2015 which stated that he is 1999 born.”

The Central Registration System, introduced by AIFF in 2016, registers detailed information of every single player.