The All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) Disciplinary Committee on Friday served a show-cause notice to both the Head Coaches of ATK and Kerala Blasters FC, Antonio Lopez Habas and Eelco Schattorie along with the Goalkeeping Coach of ATK, Angel Pindado, seeking an explanation for their misconduct during Hero Indian Super League Match # 58 which was played between ATK FC and Kerala Blasters FC played on 12th January 2020 at Kolkata.
The Disciplinary Committee has asked the coaches and the team manager of Kerala Blasters FC to show cause as to why no action should be taken against them, in accordance with the regulatory provisions of the AIFF Disciplinary Code.
ATK’s Goalkeeping Coach Angel Pindado has been kept under suspension with immediate effect for his part in the incident which occurred during injury time of the match which Kerala Blasters had won 1-0.
The coaches and support staff have been given the deadline till 20th January to respond.
Earlier, on Sunday Kerala Blasters FC picked up an important 1-0 win against ATK, courtesy of a second-half strike by Halicharan Narzary at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata.
ATK was also in news on Thursday as RPSG Group, which owns and runs the Kolkata based Indian Super League club announced that they are set to acquire a majority shareholding in Mohun Bagan Football Club (India) Private Limited. This move will see the two football clubs coming together into a new merged identity to compete in the rapidly growing professional Indian football landscape.
The new football club will have brand names of ATK and Mohun Bagan. RPSG Group will become 80 % majority shareholder alongside Mohun Bagan Football Club (India) Private Limited owning the remaining 20 % shares.
The merged club will come into existence from the First of June, 2020 and will compete in Hero Indian Super League season 2020-21, along with other important competitions of the All India Football Federation calendar.
ATK is currently placed third in the points table with 21 points from 12 matches, three points behind table-toppers FC Goa who have 24 points from 12 matches. Meanwhile, Kerala Blasters find themselves in the seventh position with 14 points from 12 matches, a point ahead of Jamshedpur who have played one game less than the Kochi-based side.
