Local heavyweights Air India risk being scrapped from the Mumbai Football League (elite division) this season, after they failed to turn up for their last two matches that were scheduled for March 20 and 23, a Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) official informed.
Air India, who are currently placed second with 16 points from six matches, cited ‘injured players and the ongoing I-league season’ as the main reasons for not playing their matches against Mumbai Customs and Union Bank at the Cooperage football ground. Mumbai FC are at the top with 25 points in nine matches.
Air India have two more matches remaining in the League, against Mumbai FC and Central Railway, but the MDFA officials don’t expect them to appear for those matches either. “We had sent them a letter and the fixtures list in February. They had informed us saying it will be difficult for them to play out the remaining MFL matches as around they had 12-13 injured,” MDFA general secretary Souter Vaz told DNA.
Air India requested the MDFA to conduct the matches in May but Vaz said it would have been logistically difficult to do that as most of the teams would have released their players for break during that period. “We can’t keep six teams on hold because of one team. They have 30 players registered with us. They could have easily fielded a side. This matter will be taken up in the executive committee meeting on March 26. We will see what happens,” Vaz said.
Generally, the MFL is concluded after the I-League season as the Mumbai-based sides are not available to complete their quota of matches during the regular season. Since the I-League had a delayed start this season, MDFA decided to conduct the six remaining matches during the mid-season break, which will last till April 3. The final match of the MFL, involving Mumbai FC and Air India, was supposed to be held on March 30.
Air India coach Santosh Kashyap hopes the MDFA to understand their situation. “I hope they understand. We are in the relegation zone of the I-League and our focus is to recover from that position. We have our main players injured. So to play four matches in seven days would have been suicidal to our cause,” Kashyap said.
