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Thursday, November 7, 2013

USFC upset with SFA’s unprofessional conduct …WILL NOT PLAY UNTIL SFA PAYS AND TREATS IT BETTER

GANGTOK, 06 Nov: United Sikkim Football Club [USFC] will not be playing the opening match of the 34th All India Governor’s Gold Cup of 2013 which begins on Thursday at Paljor Stadium. USFC, which was scheduled to play the opening match against Tata Football Academy, has been replaced by SFA XI. The move was forced by a standoff between USFC and Sikkim Football Association [which is organizing the Gold Cup] over SFA’s unprofessional attitude towards USFC.
USFC earned a place in the Governor’s Gold Cup by winning the Sikkim League earlier this year. It was in I-League last season.
USFC has reportedly taken up these issues officially with SFA in letters written to it on 22 October and 02 November demanding that it be treated at par with other I-League teams in tournament since it is fielding national-level players like Nirmal Chettri and Sanju Pradhan to make Governor’s Gold Cup an interesting tourney. It was when SFA took so long to respond that USFC took the step of refusing to play until the matter was resolved.
The home club refused to play the opening match [which is a qualifying round match] as it is unhappy with the match fee of Rs 10,000 per match offered for the tournament and also for having to play qualifying round matches even as lower ranked teams have been allowed direct placement at pre-quarter or quarterfinal rounds.
USFC co-owner Bhaichung Bhutia said today that the club has not been given its due status and should have been offered match fee at par with other I-League teams.
USFC Senior Manager, Arjun Rai, added that teams like Mohammedan Sporting are reportedly being paid Rs. 8 lakh to participate in the tournament while the home club has been asked to settle for Rs.10,000 per match.
“USFC has been placed in the qualifying round by the Sikkim Football Association. We had a meeting with them today and have objected to it. Teams which have never played even the I-League have been placed in the quarterfinals. We should be given similar placement also,” said Mr. Rai.
“Some of the teams like Mumbai Tigers have not even played second division I-League and have been placed in the pre-quarter round. USFC has already played I-League and Durand Cup, for which only the top-16 teams of the country are selected,” he added.
When contacted, the SFA general secretary, Menla Ethenpa, told Sikkim NOW! over the phone that since USFC was a home team, SFA, following common practice of having home teams play from the very start at such tournaments, did so with USFC as well.
As for the issue of match-fee, Mr. Ethenpa informs that today’s meeting discussed his issue as well and SFA has assured that it will be amicably settled.
As per new fixture, USFC is now scheduled to play a qualifying round match on 10 November against Kanchanjunga FC of Siliguri. The Club has reportedly written to SFA again, reminding it of the professional courtesy due to it in light of its seniority and past record.

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