Football: Banned and Fined! AFC slap brutal sanctions on Mohun Bagan after Sepahan walkover

by Devesh Jaganath

image Football: Banned and Fined! AFC slap brutal sanctions on Mohun Bagan after Sepahan walkover
Amid the ongoing crisis surrounding the future of professional league football in India, the reigning Indian Super League champions, Mohun Bagan, have been dealt a painful blow. After refusing to travel to Iran to face Sepahan a few months ago, the AFC have now handed them a massive punishment.

AFC crack whip on Mohun Bagan for refusal to play in Iran

Indian Super League champions, Mohun Bagan, have been banned from continental competition for the next two seasons, as confirmed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Wednesday last week. 

The decision from the AFC, which includes a reported fine of a staggering $100,729, stems from the Mariners' refusal to travel to Iran to face Sepahan SC in the AFC Champions League Two competition back in September this year. 

It is understood that the fine imposed is made up of a $50,000 sanction for withdrawing from the group stage, while $50,729 will go to Sepahan and the AFC for damages and losses. MBSG will also have to return the $300,000 participation fee received for qualifying for the competition.

The AFC’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee found MBSG guilty of breaching Article 5 of the ACL Two Competition Regulations, and as a result, the team has been slapped with a ban that is only expected to be lifted in 2027-28. 

Mohun Bagan cited safety concerns and the unavailability of player visas as the reasons for refusing to participate in the match. They had requested a change of venue at a later stage, but the AFC still viewed the action as a withdrawal. 

This marks the second time that the ISL champions failed to travel to Iran for an ACL Two match, having done so previously against Tractor SC, though they were not sanctioned for their actions in that instance. 

 

Can the AFC Nations League help save Indian football?

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While the Indian Super League and I-League are still in limbo and yet to secure a commercial partner to restart the leagues, the AFC Nations League could prove to be the saving grace in returning meaningful competitive matches to India. 

The AFC announced over the weekend that the Nations League is intended to create more meaningful matches during international breaks, and while the finer details of the competition have yet to be agreed, it still gives ISL clubs hope that commercial relief is on the horizon. 

Indeed, while the Nations League may bring some form of sporting respite, it certainly does not resolve the overarching issue of fundamental governance challenges facing the ISL, which still has no timeline of resolution in sight.