Kolkata: Mohun Bagan on Monday demanded compensation from East Bengal for Syed Rahim Nabi`s injury as the midfielder underwent surgery for two facial fractures he sustained after being hit by a stone during their violence-ridden I-League derby.
"We will demand compensation from the host club till the time the player was fit to turn out in Mohun Bagan jersey," Mohun Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra told reporters at the club tent today.
The club is also mulling legal opinion if they face any suspension from the AIFF.
"We are preparing ourselves. We will definitely play the I-League. We are even ready to knock the doors of FIFA," he said when asked about AIFF`s Clause 22 that states that a team withdrawing in the middle of the match is suspended for the current season and the following two seasons unless it is dubbed a force majeure.
But Mitra said they had to take the step as the players were scared to turn up after the break as it could have been worse.
"The prime requirement in a match is the safety of the players. Moreover, the violence could have led to a mass hysteria and uglier incidents could have taken place. Who would have taken responsibility then?" Mitra asked.
"Nobody told us after our player Syed Rahim Nabi was injured that safety of other players would be ensured. It was East Bengal`s home match. They were the organisers. But they never told us that they will ensure safety of our players," Mitra said.
The match being East Bengal`s home fixture, they should be blamed for the security lapse, Mitra said.
"During our home match, we are responsible for the security and there has been no incident like that of yesterday`s. But the policemen were also busy watching the game yesterday," Mitra said.
Mitra said the players became a disturbed lot after they heard that Nabi was in hospital.
Mitra also claimed yesterday`s referee Vishnu Chauhan did not have a FIFA badge.
Meanwhile Match Commissioner Gulab Chauhan has submitted his report to the AIFF, its senior vice-president Subrata Dutta said.
"The report given by the referee is also a part of Chauhan`s report.
He further said the tournament committee will be meeting soon to decide the fate of the match, which is likely to happen before Mohun Bagan`s next round.
The AIFF executive committee will then take a final decision on the recommendations of the tournament committee.
East Bengal and state sports minister Madan Mitra have said they were opposed to imposition of any strict punishment like suspension on Mohun Bagan.
"We have taken this stand in the interest of football in Bengal," East Bengal secretary Kalyan Majumdar said.
"Violence on football grounds in Argentina, Uruguay, Columbia and England is a common occurrence and what happened yesterday in Kolkata is not an isolated case. The police did a fantastic job," Mitra said yesterday.
PTI
First Published: Monday, December 10, 2012, 21:27