Kerala Blasters coach Ivan Vukomanovic fined INR 50,000 and banned for Punjab FC game

Kerala Blasters head coach Ivan Vukomanovic has been fined INR 50,000 and handed a one-match ban by the AIFF for his comments against referees following the team’s 3-3 draw against Chennaiyin FC. The 46-year-old will serve his second suspension within a year’s time, having been handed one after the walkout against Bengaluru FC last time around. 

At that time, the club was fined a sum worth around INR 7 crore, as they left the pitch with around 25-30 minutes left to play. And this time, the harsh comments from Vukomanovic have resulted in another disciplinary step against the Serbian. 

What did Ivan Vukomanovic say that led to his punishment? 

“You know, it’s like having a season ticket, conceding goals against Chennaiyin in the first minute, as we did last year. The funny thing is, it happened in front of the bench. No foul, then offside at the goal, a player influencing our goalkeeper in an offside position. Referees don’t react in the first minute,” he said in the post-match press conference.

“Watching the videos, you wonder how they can’t see that. Offside positions, late linesmen- it’s frustrating. We aim to stay positive, but these referees couldn’t lead or manage the game.”

“It’s not their fault; it’s the fault of those educating them. It’s the third year, and I see this year’s outcomes won’t be decided by teams or players, but by referees. Our system, technologies – we’ll deal with it. When the game starts like that, referees lose control, and everyone gets frustrated for many different situations,” he added. 

Although the comments from the Kerala Blasters manager are harshly worded, Ivan Vukomanovic does have a point. The standard of the ISL is not up to the mark even when compared to the rest of Asia. And the quality of officiating has a huge role to play in that regard. 

The introduction of VAR has also been a point of frequent discussion over the past few years. And while the reason cited behind it was the lack of funds and infrastructure to implement such technology, there are rumours that it could finally arrive in the 2025-26 season. 

But even then, Ivan Vukomanovic’s complaints could remain valid since there seems to be a regular lack of correct decision making from referees in the ISL. And failing to use the technology properly would only worsen the issue.