AIFF initiates process to decide on KBFC sanction

NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation’s disciplinary committee (AIFF DC) has begun the proceedings to decide on a possible sanction against Kerala Blasters FC after the Kochi-based club walked out of its Indian Super League play-off match against Bengaluru FC.

The AIFF disciplinary panel on Monday dismissed Kerala’s demand for a replay and strict action against the referee of the match that was held in Bengaluru last Friday. The AIFF DC will decide what Kerala would be sanctioned with for walking out of the match after a contentious Sunil Chhetri strike.

“The AIFF DC has initiated the process. A decision is likely in 10 days,” a top source told PTI on the condition of anonymity on Tuesday. “Decision on whether its (KBFC’s) protest was maintainable or not and what the sanction will be, the two issues are totally different and not related to each other,” the source added.

The source said that multiple hearings could happen before a decision is pronounced by the AIFF panel. Under Article 58 of the AIFF Disciplinary Code (of 2021), dealing with “abandonment” of matches, Kerala could cough up a minimum of Rs 6 lakh fine and may even attract disqualification from a competition in progress and/or exclusion from a future competition.