Kerala Blasters’ Zakeer Mundampara has been handed a six-month ban by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Disciplinary Committee on Tuesday.
Zakeer Mundampara was charged with violent conduct against referee Umesh Bora in the last match of Indian Super League (ISL) 2018/19 season before the winter break against Mumbai City FC on December 16.
The Kerala midfielder was shown a second yellow and subsequently a red card by the referee for a rough tackle on Mumbai’s Rafael Bastos near the centre circle. As Bora showed the red card, a furious Mundampara picked the ball and threw it on the referee’s face in an aggressive manner.
Kerala Blasters are winless in 11 matches and languish at the eighth position on the league table. As such, Zakeer’s suspension comes as a huge blow to the already dented Kerala Blasters side.
ISL Media
Jamshedpur FC’s Carlos Calvo and Chennaiyin FC skipper Mailson Alves have also been handed three-match bans each in addition to a fine. While Calvo was accused of allegedly passing a racist remark in a match against Delhi Dynamos, Mailson was charged with elbowing a Delhi Dynamos player after getting into a scuffle.
It is not clear as to the nature of the racist remark passed by Calvo or against whom was it directed yet.
Alves will miss Chennaiyin's upcoming games against NorthEast United, FC Pune City, and Bengaluru FC while Calvo will be unavailable for the Men of Steel against ATK, Mumbai City, and FC Pune City.
It is not the first time that the AIFF's Disciplinary Committee has acted retrospectively for violent behaviour this season. Earlier, NorthEast United goalkeeper TP Rehenesh was also banned for three games after the cameras caught him punching an opposition player inside the penalty box.
The ISL resumes on January 25 and Kerala Blasters play the first match of the second phase against ATK at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi.
