Panaji: Mumbai City FC opened up a crucial two-point lead at the top of the Indian Super League (ISL) table after they were awarded two additional points for their 1-1 draw against Jamshedpur FC, adjudged to have fielded an ineligible player.
Jamshedpur had fought hard for a draw against the table toppers at home but ended up replacing an Indian player with a foreigner, after Nigerian striker Chima Chukwu was sent off late in the game. The substitution left only six Indian players on the field.
The All India Football Federation’s disciplinary committee which met on Tuesday to decide on Mumbai’s protest concluded that Jamshedpur had violated League Rule 4.2.10, which states that “each club shall ensure that at least seven domestic players are fielded and playing on the field at all times throughout each match.”
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Failure to comply, the rule states, “will result in a sanction of 3-0 loss for the defaulter club in the particular match, unless the opposing team was winning/has won the match by a higher score, in which case the result on the field will be upheld.”
Besides losing the match 0-3, Jamshedpur were also fined Rs 60,000 in accordance with Article 57 of the AIFF Disciplinary Code.
The decision was announced on Wednesday and is a first such instance in the ISL.
The decision pushed Mumbai to the top of the table, while Jamshedpur find themselves eighth on the table with 20 points from 19 matches.
“It was a genuine mistake on part of the personnel involved and not an intentional act committed with a motive to gain any wrongful advantage towards the closing minutes of the game,” Jamshedpur said in a statement on Wednesday. “It happened as a human error in the midst of a red card followed by subsequent incidents and is deeply regretful.
“We now look to work hard with renewed vigour towards achieving positive results in the upcoming games of the ISL, with the support of our fans, in our endeavour towards playoff qualification.”
Mumbai, with 41 points from 19 matches, are two points ahead of second-placed Mohun Bagan who have a game in hand. The teams play the concluding league clash on April 14, a game that will almost certainly decide the Shield winners.
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