Mohun Bagan SG at risk of 3-0 forfeit and $10,000 fine over AFC forfeit

Mohun Bagan SG are at risk of facing a 3-0 forfeit loss against Iranian side Tractor in the AFC Champions League 2. The Mariners could also face a fine of up to $10,000 (₹8.4 lakh), based on the evaluation of the situation by AFC.

The country is in a five-day mourning period after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon on September 28. Things are volatile in the country, which is why the 35 players of the ISL champions have written to the club in a joint statement, saying they will not travel due to safety concerns.

Mohun Bagan SG at risk of being banned from AFC

Tractor FC might indeed be a better football team than @mohunbagansg but they clearly don’t understand what sport is all about.

When was sport only about winning or losing? Then there wouldn’t be an Olympics. Ever heard of soft power and diplomacy and sport and peace?

Iran at… pic.twitter.com/396vhJWX0c

— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) September 29, 2024

The letter from the players has been sent to AFC, but their reply has not yet been made public. If the federation hands out a harsh punishment, they might choose to wipe out the club from this year’s competition altogether, and ban them from future editions too.

“We have forwarded that letter to the AFC and also tagged AIFF (All India Football Federation). Nowhere are we saying that we will not play, but we have not been guaranteed any security. Therefore, we have requested AFC to either reschedule the fixture or conduct it in a neutral venue,” a Mohun Bagan Super Giant official told Sportstar.

“All arrangements have been made. Flight tickets and hotel booking are completed – the club has spent over 50 lakhs on travel arrangements, but right now, it is not possible for the club to go and play in Iran when the situation is like this,” he added.

Now, it remains to be how the AFC deals with the situation and whether they will opt for a neutral venue as originally requested by the Mohun Bagan SG players citing safety concerns.