JOIN USThe All India Football Federation’s Appeals Committee has upheld the protest lodged by Salgaocar Sports Club against the decision to dock them points for fielding ‘ineligible players’ in the game against Pune FC in the I-League game on November 26 last year.
Salgaocar had drawn the game but they were docked one point, with the AIFF initially ruling that two players fielded by the Goan team, Fulganco Cardozo and Matthew Foschini, were not eligible to play as the players did not go through the necessary formalities of registration before being fielded.
However, the Appeals Committee found that the two players were indeed eligible to play, and decided to hand back the one point deducted from Salgaocar.
The two players were fielded in the game against Bengaluru FC as well, on November 22, but since BFC had won the game, it didn’t have any impact on the points from that game, even though the AIFF awarded BFC a 3-0 victory.
Pune too were awarded a 3-0 victory but that has been altered now and they will lose two points, with the AIFF accepting the original result of a draw.
Salgaocar, however, have been levied a fine of Rs 50,000 for an administrative lapse.
Salgaocar, currently third on the points table, thus move to 39 points -- just one short of East Bengal, who are occupying the second spot. Pune FC slip to 29 points from 31.