Mohammedan Sporting Club (MSC) claimed that they were ill-treated when Abahani Limited were declared as the winners after their (MSC) refusing to play in the championship decider match of the Green Delta Premier League Hockey on Saturday.
Mohammedan officials, in a press conference on Sunday detailed all about their demand and protest against the umpire’s decisions. Held at the Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium, the match between Mohammedan and Abahani was abandoned after Mohammedan Sporting Club refused to play when two of their players saw marching orders. Then Mohammedan was leading the match by 3-2 after coming from 0-2 behind.
But the players of both the teams engaged with brawl over an umpiring decision and the umpire from Oman show two red cards and one yellow card to Mohammedan players and one Red one yellow to Abahani players.
But protesting against the decision of the umpire, Mohammedan refused to play and Eventually forcing the match officials to declare Abahani as the winners.
Mohammedan Sporting Club officials explained that it was injustice to them and sought the intervention of the Minister for Youth and Sports Nazmul Hassan Papon for justice, claiming that the club is not getting cooperation from Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF).
Kazi Feroz Rashid, Director-in-Charge, Protap Sanker Hazra former star player and veteran member of the club, Sarwar Hossain, club director and the team manager Ariful Haque Prince, in the press conference they demanded that they were victimized of injustice this season on the field and off the field.
Replying to a query that, as MSC were leading the match and they could protest after winning the match when they had every chance to be champions, Kazi Feroz Rashid said, “There was no scope to protest after being champions, as from so many incident it was clear that the bylaws were not follow perfectly.”
“Now we are drawing the attention of youth and sports minister Nazmul Hassan Papon to look into the matter.” You played a crucial role in the critical period of hockey in the past. In such a bad time of hockey, we are expecting you to interfere and to pay kind attention to the matter.” Former national coach and Mohammedan’s former star Pratap Shankar Hazra explained the federation's unfair activities against Mohammedan. Protap Sanker Hazra said, “In the past, though there were so many complications to run the hockey activities but the bylaws had never been dishonoured. This time the federation used the bylaws in three different ways in similar incidents in three matches.”
Hazra explained, “The umpire did not wait for Mohammedan's appeal in the same situation and blew the final whistle after being instructed by the federation officials from the review rooms. Finally Mohammedan officials threatened that hey would not participate in any activities under the existing committee if they would not get the justice but they said that they were ready to accept whatever the decision would come from the minister.
