Fans from India and around the world have deemed this decision inappropriate, emphasizing that Mohun Bagan's refusal to travel was based solely on safety concerns. After all, this is what the Indian government have advised the same day
What wrong did Indian giants Mohun Bagan FC do to deserve exclusion from the AFC Champions League Two tournament? Did they make a mistake by avoiding travel to Iran amid war threats? Fans are asking big questions, and the Asian Football Confederation may need to provide some answers now that they have followed a similar path as Mohun Bagan to avoid the dangers of war. (More Football News)
Mohun Bagan Super Giant was scheduled to face Tractor FC on October 2, but the Indian-based franchise did not travel to Yadegar-e-Emam Stadium in Iran due to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict with missiles in the sky.
Given this, in accordance with Article 5.2 of the AFC Champions League 2 2024-25 Competition Regulations, the AFC marked that Mohun Bagan Super Giant are deemed to have withdrawn from the competition for failing to report to Tabriz, resulting in their elimination from the tournament.
Fans from India and around the world found this decision inappropriate, emphasizing that Mohun Bagan's refusal to travel was based solely on safety concerns. After all, this is what the Indian government advised the same day.
The Ministry of External Affairs released their advisory on October 2, stating, "Indian nationals are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran. Those currently residing in Iran are requested to remain vigilant and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran."
The Football Players Association of India expressed their concerns regarding the situation, calling it a display of ignorance and arrogance from the AFC, while demanding justice for the Green and Maroon Brigade. "Safety cannot be compromised".
One of the fans pointed out that Al Nassr, the Saudi Arabian club featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, also refused to travel to Iran -- what about them? Reports suggest that the match between Esteghlal and Al Nassr will likely be moved to Dubai due to security concerns, and these teams haven’t faced any penalties from the AFC.
Similarly, Tractor SC's match against Ravshan Kulob will be played in a neutral country, yet none of these teams have been excluded from the AFC Champions League 2024-25 tournament.
And here comes the big fish in the fishy matter, the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, initially scheduled in Iran, have also been relocated to a neutral venue as of October 9, with the AFC prioritizing safety amid ongoing conflicts.
On their official release on October 7, the AFC stated, “all matches played by Mohun Bagan Super Giant are cancelled and considered null and void in accordance with Article 5.6 of the Competition Regulations. For the avoidance of doubt, no points and goals in the club’s matches shall be taken into consideration when determining the final rankings in Group A pursuant to Article 8.3 of the Competition Regulations."
Mohun Bagan opened their AFCL 2 campaign with a goalless draw against Tajikistani side Ravshan Kulob at the Salt Lake Stadium on September 18.
With growing demands for justice and a sense of inappropriate / partial decisions in how teams are treated, the West Bengal-based franchise will definitely seek legal action. If such discrepancies continue to arise, there may indeed be a need for a closer examination of the situation, and the call for justice for Mohun Bagan must be made.