MISC sets the record straight on alleged injustice in Bardhan Cup

This comes after the Selangor team lodged a formal protest against Kuala Lumpur regarding a group match played on December 21

9:40 PM MYT

 

KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Indian Sports Council (MISC) has clarified that there was no favouritism or any form of injustice towards any teams in the ongoing Bardhan Cup.

MISC, which operates under the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), responded after the Selangor team lodged a formal protest against Kuala Lumpur regarding a group match played on December 21 at Bukit Jelutong.

It was brought to Scoop’s attention that the Kuala Lumpur team fielded a newly registered goalkeeper, who was only registered after their first-choice goalkeeper was red-carded during the match between PDRM and Kuala Lumpur.

According to the Bardhan Cup rules, players can only be registered during the quarter-final stage. The registration of the new goalkeeper after the initial matches constitutes a clear violation of the rules.

Speaking to Scoop, MISC secretary-general Santana Raju said that the governing body was forced to violate its own tournament rules as they sympathised with the Kuala Lumpur team, knowing they would not be able to compete without a goalkeeper.

“I have no idea why this is being turned into an issue as we only did the right thing. In our opinion, and after thoroughly discussing the matter with the organising committee, we felt it was right to help a team struggling with a lack of players. We admit violating the rules but we did set a condition for Kuala Lumpur,” Raju explained when contacted.

“We cannot be cruel to the teams in the tournament, and that is not what the Bardhan Cup is known for. How could we allow a team to compete without a goalkeeper? In fact, Kuala Lumpur also paid us a compensation for registering the extra player in the team and they didnt break any rules and regulations and we dont be cruel to disqualify them without giving them a chance to compete when they obliged to our conditions.”

“For years, through this tournament, we have always aimed to provide every team with an equal playing field and an opportunity to play football. Those who participate in this tournament are young Indian boys with high expectations of elevating their football careers, with the goal of one day playing at the state level.”

“There’s a political motive behind this issue and football should be seperated from politics. Some teams in the Bardhan Cup should not dampen their aspirations by stirring up issues like this. We should not be fighting against our community; instead, let’s lift each other up in the name of football,” Raju added.

The 84th edition of the Bardhan Cup, which began on December 6, includes teams such as the Malaysia & Singapore Sikh Sports Council, Polis Diraja Malaysia, and other state affiliates under FAM.

The prize money for the under-23 tournament includes RM 40,000 for the champions, RM 10,000 for the runners-up, and RM 3,000 for the third and fourth place teams.

The previous year’s edition saw Negeri Sembilan clinch the title, defeating Penang 1-0 in the final.

Among the top players who emerged from the Bardhan Cup and went on to make a name for themselves at both the state and national levels are D. Surendran, S. Kunanlan, K. Sanbagamaran, K. Gurusamy, Thanabalan Nadarajah, and the late Datuk R. Arumugam. – December 24, 2024

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