Image tarnished, ISL hits back at FC Goa

Salgaocar filed an FIR against Chennaiyin captain Elano.

The Indian Super League (ISL) management has taken a dim view of the comments made by FC Goa co-owner Dattaraj Salgaocar, implying that Sunday’s final against Chennaiyin was pre-decided. Goa lost 3-2 to Chennaiyin in a pulsating match but the result was overshadowed after the team, coached by Brazilian legend Zico, boycotted the awards ceremony and later accused the referee of playing an unfair game.

Salgaocar later filed an FIR against Chennaiyin captain Elano, accusing him of assaulting and abusing him. Elano was arrested and detained but was later released on bail. In a statement on Monday, the ISL expressed concerns over the statements made by Salgaocar and condemned the ‘unsporting behaviour’. Salgaocar, who owns the team along with India cricket captain Virat Kohli and Srinivas Dempo, questioned the referees’ motive after the match. “There were two penalties given and last five minutes everything changed. Every time we say something it is never taken seriously. It was terrible refereeing, one-sided and (if) it was decided to give Chennai the game, there was no point in Goa playing,” Dattaraj was quoted as saying.

Even Zico questioned the way Chennaiyin manager Marco Materazzi hugged the referee in the final, an act which the Brazilian football legend said normally merits a red card. “The coach of Chennaiyin was hugging the referee like a good friend. I don’t know, if you go by rules, no player or staff can even touch a referee, because you can get a red card for that,” Zico told reporters in Margao on Monday.

The ISL, however, rubbished the allegations. “It has been brought to the notice of the ISL and concerns expressed by our partner Star India that FC Goa management have made adverse comments in the media disputing the result of the ISL 2015 finals played in Goa on Sunday night. The league has also taken serious view of the unsporting behaviour by the Goa franchise and alleged unsporting behaviour of certain players of the teams on and off the field,” the statement read. “ISL does not accept such behaviour from any member of the club management, support staff or players. The matter has now been referred to the ISL Disciplinary Committee. ISL has a strict code of conduct with an established integrity unit and an ACSU division. The league has not received any complain from the Goa management.”

All India Football Federation president Praful Patel too was critical of the behaviour, calling it ‘unacceptable’. “We have to be firm and strict so that it does not impact the international community, whether it is referees or players, from participating in India. We are also governed by FIFA’s (world football governing body) code of conduct. If tomorrow, our player was to go and play in another country and something was to happen to him or the referee, what would be our situation? We have to take very strong measures,” Patel said.

Salgaocar adamant

Following a fracas with Elano, Salgaocar said he had to register an FIR against the Chennaiyin FC captain to convey a message that the team could not be taken for granted. “Throughout the match our team dealt with poor referring, manhandling by the security guards when we entered the team’s dugout, aggressive play by them (Chennaiyin FC) with their team manager Marco Materazzi allowing them to do (whatever they wanted) with malicious intent, to cripple, elbow out (our players). and finally Elano does that (assault). I realized that we had to take some action… I mean this was the final straw,” Salgaocar said.

Giving his account of the incident that cast a shadow on the ISL final, Salgaocar said he was reaching out to the Chennai captain to congratulate him when he was assaulted. “Elano entered our team dugout, which he is not supposed to. I went to wish him saying ‘I love how you play’. But he caught me by my neck, used expletives and elbowed me in the chest. All our players wanted to take action, but me along with team coach Zico stopped them from carrying out any untoward incident and filed the FIR against him,” Salgaocar said.

Elano was seen exiting the Margao police station in the early hours of Monday after a case was lodged under IPC 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace). “The matter is under investigation. The 34-year old Brazilian national has been granted bail, on the basis of local surety. He or his lawyer has to be present whenever called upon for inquiry,” a police official said.

Salgaocar said if Elano had apologized to him, he would not have filed the FIR. “But he did not, there was arrogance — there was a sense of triumph (after the assault) and coupled with everything else we had to do what had to be done,” the FC Goa president said.

FC Goa co-owner Dempo said it was a conscious decision of the team not to participate in the award ceremony. “Besides poor referring, we personally faced humiliation as the events progressed. Even Varun Dhawan, Virat Kohli were with us and the security would not let us through to the dugout despite flashing team owners’ accreditation cards. We were manhandled. Any self respecting individual would have done the same (boycott). Ultimately, as a mark of protest, we decided to boycott the award ceremony,” Dempo said.

While the team owners said they don’t believe there was match fixing, they blasted the poor refereeing. “They (ISL) have to take action. We don’t say there was match fixing but overall it had been poor refereeing, even other franchises have echoed our concern,” Salgaocar said.

On being asked if it was not unsporting of the team not to be present at the award ceremony, Brazilian legend Zico said it was the president’s decision. “I am under the orders of the president (FC Goa). I cannot disobey him. They told us not to go. There is a chain of command which has to be followed, it’s a discipline… not about right or wrong . so far they have never questioned any of my decision when it came to the team. This time I had no reason not to agree with them, they have their rights,” Zico, who has been offered a contract extension by the club, said.

Elano, meanwhile, was back with the team in Chennai on Monday, where they celebrated their triumph.