New Delhi: Any request for Anwar Ali’s transfer or reintegration into the All India Football Federation’s central registration system after he wrongfully unilaterally ended his contract with Mohun Bagan won’t be entertained till August 10, its player status committee decided on Sunday.
The India international reneged on his four-year, 11 crore loan deal with Bagan from Delhi FC after only a year, agreeing on an improved five-year contract with East Bengal.
He informed Bagan on his decision to end their association on July 10, which the reigning Indian Super League champions didn’t agree to.
Upon appeal to the AIFF, the matter went to its PSC which in its interim order ruled on Saturday that Ali has terminated his contract with Bagan without ‘just’ cause.
In order to obtain a no-objection certificate from Bagan to return to his parent club Delhi FC and join East Bengal, the defender would have to pay a compensation or serve suspension or both, which would be decided by the PSC after a hearing on August 10.
The PSC has also noted that Delhi FC and East Bengal are ‘party’ to the case and liable to be punished but have given them five days to respond on their involvement before deciding their fate.
After hearing from DFC and EB, the PSC would again hear from Bagan on August 10 before making a judgement. But before that any request from Ali or Delhi FC for his transfer won’t be approved.
A per the AIFF’s CRS, Ali remains a Bagan player until a full and final judgement is made on his transfer status.
August 10 next hearing
“In accordance with the Order dated 03rd August 2024 of the AIFF Players’ Status Committee, any transfer or reintegration of the player as per paragraph 6 of the order is subject to final decision of the Committee in the next hearing. Thus the AIFF Players’ Status Department has been instructed to not approve any request pertaining to this matter till the next hearing,” the PSC wrote in its directive.
“The Committee has set a date for the next hearing on 10th August 2024, 12 PM onwards, all the parties are summoned to the next hearing and shall inform the Committee of the names and the details of the representative joining on behalf of you as a party to the case by 08th August 2024.”
Bagan had sought a stay on PCS’s interim order made on Saturday, following which this decision was made on Sunday.
Bagan have demanded a hefty compensation of Rs 15 crore for wrongful termination, pointing out that Ali didn’t follow established process of mutually ending their deal.
Ali, through his lawyer, told the PSC in Friday’s initial hearing that since a player’s career is short and uncertain he has signed on a more financially lucrative deal with EB and moved to end his deal with Bagan unilaterally, citing FIFA’s new loan rule of maximum one-year duration.
But since the new rule will be effective in India only in January 2025, the AIFF holds all long-term loan deals prior to that period as valid, which made Ali’s attempt illegal.
The AIFF’s player status committee has earlier ruled Anwar Ali’s attempt to unilaterally end his Mohun Bagan contract and sign for East Bengal as without ‘just’ cause. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
