Mohun Bagan SG considered withdrawn from ACL 2 after refusing to travel to Iran: AFC
Keeping the players’ “safety and security” in mind, Mohun Bagan SG made the decision last month to forgo the October 2 match due to the volatile situation prevailing in the West Asian nation at that time.
Published : Oct 07, 2024 14:59 IST , New Delhi - 2 MINS READ
File image of Mohun Bagan players during the ISL. | Photo Credit: Focus Sports
Mohun Bagan Super Giant is considered to have withdrawn from the AFC Champions League 2 after the club decided against travelling to Iran to face Tractor FC, the continental body AFC said on Monday, pending further decision on the matter.
Keeping the players’ “safety and security” in mind, Mohun Bagan SG made the decision last month to forgo the October 2 match due to the volatile situation prevailing in the West Asian nation at that time.
“In accordance with Article 5.2 of AFC Champions League 2 2024/25 Competition Regulations, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirms that India’s Mohun Bagan Super Giant are considered to have withdrawn from the ACL 2 competition after the club failed to report to Tabriz ... against Tractor FC on October 2, 2024,” the AFC said.
“Consequently, all matches played by Mohun Bagan SG are cancelled and considered null and void in accordance with Article 5.6 of Competition Regulations. For the avoidance of doubt, no points and goals in the club’s matches shall be taken into consideration when determining the final rankings in Group A pursuant to Article 8.3 of the Competition Regulations.”
Mohun Bagan SG was scheduled to play Tractor FC on October 2 in a Group A match of the ACL 2—the continent’s second-tier club competition. However, the players expressed their unwillingness to travel to Iran, which had declared a state of mourning following the death of a prominent general of the Revolutionary Guard in an Israeli airstrike.
“The matter will now be referred to the relevant AFC Committee(s) as appropriate for their decision(s),” the AFC said in the statement.
In its first match of Group A, Mohun Bagan had played out a goalless draw against Tajikistan’s FC Ravshan.