ISL slap Rs 11 crore fine on FC Goa, multi-season bans for owners

Additionally, the Goa-based franchise will begin the third season of the competition with a 15 point deficit, effectively eliminating any chance for the team to make the playoff stages as they had done so in the first two editions of the tournament. Goa have three days to lodge an appeal.

Subsequently, the immediate reaction of one of the owners was that the club would appeal the verdict, but if upheld, the club will reconsider its future in the tournament. “We haven’t read the entire order yet, but it certainly is a harsh decision. Depending on how it goes after the appeal, we will consider if we should continue in the league or not. That is one decision we will have to take,” a team official said.

The charges have been made following the unsavory events that took place immediately after FC Goa lost 3-2 to Chennaiyin FC in the final of the second season on December 20, at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa. The hosts were charged with criticising match officials by posting allegations of match fixing.

Furthermore, Chennaiyin FC’s marquee player and captain Elano Blumer was arrested for allegedly abusing and assaulting Salgaocar, who filed a FIR against the Brazilian, but was soon released. Recently attained video evidence however suggested against Blumer engaging in an undisciplined manner, but rather displayed the FC Goa management as the aggressors.

After the ill-tempered final, the Goa team refused to participate in the post-match presentation and even the league closing ceremony. In all, FC Goa was charged with violating ISL regulations: ‘boycotting match and league ceremony,’ ‘public criticism and threatening match officials,’ ‘alleging that the match was fixed,’ and ‘non-adherence of League rules.’

As such, the Regulatory Commission unanimously arrived at the verdict, which Goa described as ‘harsh’. Earlier, in a hearing on March 4, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Disciplinary Committee charged FC Goa with a Rs 50 lakh fine for boycotting the post-match presentations. Equipment manager Rajesh Malgi, in turn, was found guilty of aiming offensive gestures and abusive language at the match officials and has been banned for four matches with a Rs 1 lakh fine.

Under the ISL conditions, all parties are allowed the option of appealing the verdict. Yet as suggested by the FC Goa management, if the verdict is not reduced, the future of the team’s participation in subsequent editions of the marquee tournament itself may be under threat.