Kerala Women's Football Team Shutdown After Men's Team Fined

The women’s football team in our country is facing a disappointing situation as the Kerala Blasters announced the temporary shutdown of their women’s team due to financial constraints. The financial challenges emerged as a result of the sanctions imposed on the club after the men’s team walkout during an Indian Super League playoff fixture last season.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) imposed a fine of Rs. 4 crore on Kerala Blasters following the men’s team’s walkout during the match against Bengaluru FC on March 3. They walked out as a protest against a controversial goal scored by Bengaluru FC’s Sunil Chhetri from a free kick.

The referee didn’t blow the whistle before Chetri took the kick, so the players of Kerala Blasters argued that the goal shouldn’t have been counted as they were unprepared. Subsequently, the Kerala Blasters team showed their protest by leaving the game midway, resulting in the forfeiture of the match.

Meanwhile, responding to the incident, Chhetri stated that according to the rules, he didn't want the wall, which was 10 yards away from the ball, or the whistle suggesting his right to take a quick free-kick.

Kerala Womens Football Shutdown

The financial consequences of the men’s team’s actions have unfortunately had a direct impact on the women’s team, leading to its temporary shutdown. This points out the challenges faced by women’s football in India as the women’s team and their finances are compromised during a crisis.

The Kerala Blasters Team and the AIFF have yet to decide how they will handle the issue, as well as whether efforts will be made to reinstate the women's football team. The announcement about the temporary shutdown of the Kerala Blasters women’s football team was made through a statement on Tuesday.

The club's appeal against the fine was rejected by the AIFF a couple of days ago. Kerala Blasters coach Ivan Vukomanovic’s appeal against the fine of Rs. 5 lakh and 10-game ban was also rejected by the federation.

Indian women’s football team goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan questioned the decision to punish the women’s team for the actions of the male counterpart. She called out how the development of the women’s football team was compromised in India.

The team defended themselves by saying that they had to prioritise the most immediate objective and ensure long-term financial stability. They further added that they had planned for the women’s team to accompany the men’s team on a foreign pre-season tour but had to hold off for now. They ascertained that the shutdown was only temporary and that they would reinstate the women’s football team as soon as they got over the financial crisis.

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Image Credits: The Hindu