AFC no to Bagan request for neutral venue

< warm> calcutta: sixer years before they play Sepahan away in the Asian Champions League 2, there is uncertainty over Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s trip to Iran. Their request to shift the match to a neutral venue being turned down by Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has got Mohun Bagan to again write to the continent’s apex body. This time, it was to ask how AFC has decided that it would be alright to go ahead with the match scheduled for September 30.

Mohun Bagan had earlier written to AFC asking for a risk evaluation about travelling to Isfahan, about 450km from Tehran, where Sepahan are based. That letter to AFC had said a number of countries including Australia, United Kingdom and Spain explicitly warn against travelling to Iran.

The Indian Super League double winners have players from the countries mentioned above. Strikers Jamie Maclaren and Dimitri Petratos are Australians, Jason Cummings, also a striker, has represented Australia but he and defender Tom Aldred are listed as being from United Kingdom in Mohun Bagan’s team sheets. Defender Alberto Rodriguez and head coach Jose Molina are from Spain.

Keeping in mind the safety and security of players and staff, Mohun Bagan’s letter had asked AFC for a risk assessment. The letter had also requested a shift to a neutral venue.

On being told that the match would not be shifted, Mohun Bagan have written to AFC asking how it has reached that decision. The contents of the letters were disclosed to HT by officials at AFC and All India Football Federation (AIFF) which has been marked in the e-mails. The officials did not want to be named because they are not authorised to speak with the media. No Mohun Bagan official was available for comment.

Mohun Bagan knew they would need to travel to Iran on August 15 when the draw was made. They have begun the competition with a 0-1 loss to Turkmenistan’s Ahal FK on September 16.

Earlier this week, a Mohun Bagan official had said the team’s date of travel to Iran has not been finalised. On Wednesday, a PTI report quoted Sepahan manager Mir Salehian as saying visas have been issued to every Mohun Bagan player and that “there was no issue from our side.”

One day before Mohun Bagan’s match, Tractor FC will host UAE’s Al Wahda in the Asian Champions League Elite. Four match days in The Persian Gulf Pro League, Iran’s top league, where Tractor FC beat Sepahan 2-1 on Sunday, have been completed.

Last October, Mohun Bagan refused to travel for the ACL2 away match against Tractor in the Iranian city of Tabriz citing security concerns after tension escalated between Iran and Israel. Mohun Bagan were considered to have withdrawn from the tournament but were spared sanctions by AFC because of “circumstances beyond control.”

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