Hyderya Sports Kashmir FC disqualified from I-League Qualifiers 2021

The J&K-based club were among the 10 teams selected by AIFF to play the tournament.

Hyderya Sports Kashmir FC's participation in the I-League 2021 qualifiers have been withdrawn by AIFF after it was found that the bank guarantee submitted by the club was bogus, the All India Football Federation informed in a release on Monday.

"AIFF would like to inform all the stakeholders of Hero I League Qualifiers 2021 that upon receiving several complaints regarding the genuineness of a bank guarantee submitted by Hyderya Sports Kashmir FC, the AIFF initiated an enquiry into the matter.

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The inquiry revealed that the bank guarantee so received was not genuine and that the bank guarantee was never officially issued by the bank named therein. The bank guarantee was one of the mandatory requirements to be eligible to participate in the League, which was to be submitted within a specified timeline. The said timeline now stands elapsed and the mandatory requirement has not been fulfilled by the said club. In light of the same Hyderya’s participation in the League stands withdrawn with immediate effect.

Furthermore, the AIFF reserves its rights to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the club. The AIFF will not be making any further statement on this matter," the board said.

Hyderya Sports was one of the 10 teams named selected by AIFF to play the upcoming I-League qualifiers, the winner of which is promoted to the I-League, the second division of Indian football. The select `10 teams were picked from a total of 29 teams, each of whom were nominated by their respective state leagues.

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Clubs nominated were asked to submit a ₹2.5 lakhs participation fee as well as a bank guarantee of ₹25 lakhs to make themselves eligible for participation in the qualifiers. In case more than 10 clubs fulfilled these two and other criteria, then the 10 clubs would be picked based on their net worth.

The Jammu and Kashmir-based club, which was among the 10 clubs selected, was placed in Group A alongside Rajasthan United FC, Ryntih SC, Madan Maharaj FC and FC Bengaluru United and were set to begin their campaign on October 4 against Madan Maharaj FC.

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