I-League: Scribes boycott Minerva Punjab’s press conference

The club on Sunday issued a gag order that prevented the a reporter from attending the pre-match conference on the eve of the club’s crucial match against reigning champion Aizawl FC.

Published : Feb 26, 2018 18:25 IST , Panchkula

Minerva Punjab (above) won the game against Aizawl FC 2-0.
Minerva Punjab (above) won the game against Aizawl FC 2-0.
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Minerva Punjab (above) won the game against Aizawl FC 2-0.

A handful of scribes from Chandigarh on Monday boycotted Minerva Punjab’s post-match press conference, protesting the I-League team management’s move to ban a correspondent from covering the pre-game address briefing due to “provocative” reportage.

The club on Sunday issued a gag order that prevented the said reporter from attending the pre-match conference on the eve of the club’s crucial match against reigning champion Aizawl FC.

Minerva Punjab won the game 2-0 and jumped to the top of the standings with 32 points from 16 outings, leapfrogging challengers Neroca FC and East Bengal.

READ: Minerva goes top with spirited second-half display

Minerva Punjab management was apparently upset with a news report published on February 21, which highlighted how a man armed with a gun had roamed around on the stadium premises on February 20 during a match between Minerva and Gokulam Kerala FC at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium.

The gun-toting man turned out to be a personal security officer of one of the directors of the club and the act was in violation of FIFA rules.

An official of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said the match commissioner of the said game has already taken up the matter with the AIFF. The I-League is run by the AIFF.

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