Mohun Bagan not be fined by AFC after recognising their case as 'Event of Force Majeure'

Although Mohun Bagan will not play any more matches in AFC Champions League Two.

Indian Super League (ISL) club Mohun Bagan Super Giant have released an official club statement following their elimination from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Two. Addressing the circumstances behind their decision not to travel to Iran, the club published the statement across their social media accounts. 

The Mariners were disqualified from the competition after not traveling for their scheduled match against Tractor SC on October 2, 2024. The AFC confirmed their disqualification based on competition regulations, as Mohun Bagan’s decision led to all their points and results being voided on October 7, 2024.

Mohun Bagan release club statement

The Mariners in their the statement explained that the AFC Competitions Committee recognized their reasons for not traveling to Tabriz as an “Event of Force Majeure.” The recognition follows and builds upon the security concerns raised by the club amid an escalation of tensions between Iran and Israel.

Reportedly, the club sent multiple requests to the AFC seeking postponements or relocation of the match to a neutral venue citing unstable conditions. The appeals from the club however, were not accepted, resulting in their eventual disqualification.

ALSO READ: Mohun Bagan disqualified from AFC Champions League Two after no-show in Tractor SC clash

While the AFC’s acknowledgement of the situation as a ‘Force Majeure’ event is significant, the disqualification still stands.

As a result, Mohun Bagan will not have to pay any fine or face bans but will not participate in the AFC Champions League Two 2024 campaign.

The reason relates to Articles 5.5 and 5.6 of the AFC Champions League Two regulations, that mandates teams withdrawing after the competition has begun must forfeit all points.

The enforcement of regulation guidelines means their previous match result—a draw against Tajik League club Ravshan Kulob—is nullified, and their scheduled fixtures, including a home game against Qatari side Al-Wakrah on October 23, are now cancelled.

Mohun Bagan’s statement on AFC Champions League 2 situation of withdrawal 🗣#IndianFootball #MohunBagan #AFCChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/Z1H7cfvgUx

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) November 2, 2024

While the club expressed its disappointment with the outcome, the statement further reinforced their decision of prioritizing the safety of players and staff in light of the ongoing unrest in Iran.

The club were unlucky that AFC’s regulations hold firm that even in Force Majeure situations, withdrawal results in automatic disqualification. The regulatory clause underscores the harsh stance of the AFC regarding withdrawals, irrespective of external circumstances.

The disappointment of Mariners’ fans with the early exit from the club’s continental campaign was evident on social media. While this unfortunate turn of events brings an abrupt end to their AFC Champions League Two campaign, Mohun Bagan will be keen to make up for it in the ISL this season.

Currently sitting in second place in the league standings, the Mariners and their devoted fans will hope to turn this announcement as fuel to push them on this season to win the coveted shield.

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