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The one-man committee has found the Green and Maroon Brigade guilty in the Derby debacle...

The I-League Core Committee, chaired by A.R.Khaleel, of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) stamped their approval on the report submitted by Honourable Justice A.K. Ganguly and have concluded that Mohun Bagan had breached Regulation 22 of the I-League Regulation 2012-13 when they failed to turn up in the second half of the Kolkata derby against East Bengal December 9 this year. As a result, they have been declared "withdrawn" from the current season of the I-League and banned for another two seasons, namely 2013-14 and 2014-15.

However the period of suspension for Mohun Bagan could be extended in the next meeting of the committee on January 9.

In the much anticipated Kolkata derby this season, Syed Rahim Nabi, a Mohun Bagan midfielder and an India international, got injured after a missile was thrown from the gallery in protest of the referee's decision to give marching orders to Odafa Okolie. Mohun Bagan, in their defense, had claimed that East Bengal, the organizers of the match, were unable to provide proper security to the players which has been refuted given that the Green and Maroons also play their home games at the Salt Lake Stadium and are very much aware of the security arrangements.

Justice A.K.Ganguly was appointed by the AIFF to review whether it was a case of Force Majeure or not, as Bagan claimed. In his report, he concluded that the decision of the Mariners for not participating in the Kolkata derby in the second half cannot be supported on the ground of Force Majeure and hence have been found guilty.

The I-League Core Committee endorsed the decision of Justice A.K. Ganguly that Bagan was in breach of I-League regulations and therefore in terms of regulation 22(c) the mandatory and automatic impositions on the said club would be: (i) of being considered to have withdrawn from the I-League Competition 2012-2013 (ii) to have all its matches in the I-League Competition 2012-2013 cancelled and considered null and void (all points, goals scored and goal against being taken away); (iii) being disqualified from taking part in the next two (2) editions of the I-League Competitions; (iv) to return to the I-League any financial stipends that had been paid to it by I-League throughout the Competition 2012-2013 or forfeit the right to the same, are hereby notified to have been imposed upon and effective with immediate effect.

The I-League Core Committee also decided that in the subject matters of “quantification of the amount of compensation”, “extension of the suspension, if any” and “additional sanctions and fines, if any”, a meeting of the Committee be convened on 9^th January, 2013 at New Delhi and M/s. United Mohun Bagan Football Team Private Limited be requested to place its view points in regard to the factors relating to “quantification of the amount of compensation”, “extension of the suspension, if any” and “additional sanctions and fines, if any”.

This came as a shock decision for the century-old Kolkata club as they find themselves out of the most prestigious tournament of the nation. The club, which had gifted Indian football its first coveted trophy in 1911 by beating East Yorkshire Regiment, are now facing serious question marks about their immediate future.

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