Minerva Punjab file overage player complaint against Tata Football Academy

Earlier two players from the Warriors were ruled overage after dental and X-ray tests were conducted by the medical committee of the tournament.

Minerva Punjab FC took on Tata Football Academy today in the quarterfinals of the ongoing 16th All India Administrator’s Challenge Cup 2018. The teams were level at 0-0 till the 90th minute when Tata Football Academy broke the deadlock to win the match 1-0.

Minerva Punjab have filed a complaint regarding fielding of an overage player and an unregistered player by Tata Football Academy. A player by the name of Prabin who is one of the top scorers of TFA was fielded with a 2003 DOB, whereas his profile exists in the CRS system with the same name, father’s name and day and month of birth but year 2000. Screenshots of the duplicate profiles are attached. 

Before the start of the tournament, two Minerva Punjab players were ruled overage after dental and X-ray tests were conducted by the medical committee of the tournament. The reports of the tests conducted were not shared with MPFC. In, fact 2-3 players were disqualified from each of the participating teams and one team from Manipur was sent home all together as they had many overage cases. 

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Other than the player Prabin, there is also another player named Angelo in the TFA line up who is registered with AMOFA Academy under Manipur state association whereas tournament rules clearly state that the player must be registered with the club and concerned state association which would be Jharkhand FA in case of TFA. Emails and rules sent out by the sports department in this regard is attached for review. The emails clearly instructs all teams that all players must be registered under CRS with due approvals from AIFF, State Associations. 

Though Minerva usually refrains from making such kind of complaints and protests, however, it is our duty to bring forward such blatant age fraud and flouting of tournament rules. The complaint has been submitted to the concerned authorities along with proofs including Adhaar card and CRS profiles of the players in question. These are attached for your review. It remains to be seen what action is taken by the authorities, UT sports department.