I- League | Minerva move court; committee to decide venue for Real Kashmir’s home game

I-League defending champions, Minerva moved to the Delhi High Court and filed a petition after the AIFF refused to relocate their match, and a few hours later, the sport’s governing body went through the match commissioner’s report along with other relevant documents.

“The Match Commissioner’s report along with other relevant documents are being referred to the All India Football Federation’s League Committee for further action as per the I-League Regulations. They will give the verdict within seven days,” the AIFF said in a statement as stated by Scroll.in

The match commissioner, along with the referees, who have been posted in Srinagar since Friday and the players of the home team were at the venue for the match.

“Despite the tragic events which have unfolded in Kashmir over the past few days, football for the people of Jammu and Kashmir has been maintained on schedule, with assistance from the security provided by the authorities, with the qualifying matches of the Santosh Trophy being completed on February 16, approximately 36 kilometres from Jammu in Katra, which was, and is still under curfew,” AIFF added in a statement.

While claiming that they were not given the written security assurances they opted for, Minerva Punjab did not travel to the Jammu and Kashmir’s capital for their game against Real Kashmir, even as the host team players turned up at the TRC Turf Ground and even warmed up before the game. Interestingly, the AIFF has not declared the match as forfeiture till now as if according to FIFA guidelines, in the event of a forfeiture, full points are awarded to the team turning up for the game.

“We have filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court, seeking relief so that we are not forced to play in Srinagar at this volatile time,” Minerva Punjab FC owner Ranjit Bajaj was quoted as saying by PTI.

“Even today, there was a 12-hour encounter where four Army Men have been martyred. And they are saying ‘come and play football here’. Unless the court intervenes, we are not expecting natural justice.” he added.

The fate of the match between East Bengal and Real Kashmir which is scheduled to be played in Srinagar on February 28, has also come under the cloud. On Thursday, more than 40 CRPF paramilitary soldiers were killed while several others were injured in what is being termed as the deadliest attack on security personnel in three decades in Jammu and Kashmir.

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