Kerala Blasters lodge appeal against AIFF ban for Bengaluru FC walkout

Kerala Blasters have appealed against the ban imposed on them by the All India Football Federation. The Southern giants were found guilty by AIFF's disciplinary committee as they staged a walkout during the Indian Super League playoff match against Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League. A fine of Rs 4 crore was imposed on the team while coach Ivan Vukomanovic was handed a 10-match suspension.

An AIFF statement earlier had confirmed the development. The disciplinary committee of the All India Football Federation, chaired by Vaibhav Gaggar on Friday, March 31, 2023, imposed a fine of Rs 4 crore on Kerala Blasters FC for walking off the pitch and thereby forfeiting their Hero Indian Super League playoff match against Bengaluru FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on March 3, 2023.

Kerala Blasters lodge appeal against AIFF ban

The AIFF Disciplinary Committee, after hearing all parties involved in the tie and considering their protests and submissions, said that Kerala Blasters are “also directed to issue a ‘Public Apology’ for this unsporting conduct of abandoning the match, failing which the total fine to be imposed on the Defendant team will be increased to Rs 6 crore.”

Kerala Blasters’ actions came after a hotly disputed goal scored by Bengaluru FC from a free-kick. The club filed a protest to the AIFF against referee Crystal John's decision to allow the goalscorer Sunil Chhetri to take the free-kick that resulted in the goal.

Kerala Blasters head coach Ivan Vukomanovic, who was accused of the offence of abandonment and bringing the game into disrepute, and apparently instigating the team for discontinuing the encounter, has been penalised “with a 10-match ban/suspension from AIFF held tournaments irrespective of whichever team he is contracted with, along with a fine of Rs Five lakh (Rupees 5,00,000/-) under Article 9.1.2 (of the AIFF disciplinary code).”

The Tuskers also had apologised for their conduct on the pitch and it seems they are ready to mend their ways with the AIFF as far as the current scenario is concerned. It remains to be seen whether AIFF review their decision.