Vasco should replace Mahindra: Messais

Panaji: With Mahindra United disbanding their team, Vasco Sports Club who finished third behind HAL and ONGC in the second division, should be promoted to the elite first division of the I-League for the coming season, Goa Football Secretary Savio Messais has said.

Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and ONGC had earlier qualified for the I-League first division in the seven-team tournament. Both HAL and ONGC, after their final round-robin league matches, have 16 points from seven encounters. "With Mahindra disbanding their team, the third place team from the second division should be included and Vasco who finished third should automatically find its place in the I-League for the coming season," Messais said."How can you induct a team directly into the I-League?" Messais questioned adding "since it is promotion and not selection that is the criteria to be adopted." "There is no provision in the AIFF rules for inducting any team directly into the I-League, and if that was done, then it is against the principles of fair play," Messais added and pointed out that the structure on promotions and demotions is quite clear."Mahindra officials had informed the AIFF before the last executive meeting that they were going to disband the team for the next season and the issue of relegations and filling up the Mahindra`s vacancy should have been discussed at the last AIFF executive Committee.” "But instead the AIFF decided to field its own U-19 and U-21 team directly in place of Mahindra United which was not correct," said Messais. PTI