Javed Shiraz, the investigation officer for the All India Football Federation (AIFF), has written to the Indian Football Association (IFA) asking it to probe an allegation of foul play in the Kolkata Football league match between Tollygunge Agragami and Rainbow club last month.
According to information received here, Shiraz has said he has learnt from sources that the result of the match played on East Bengal ground on August 25, may have been contrived. Tollygunge Agragami, under new coach Subhas Bhowmick, won 2-1.
IFA secretary Utpal Ganguli said he would probe the charge. An official for Rainbow club denied deliberately throwing the game, saying why should they contrive to lose when they want to play the I-League second division this term.
The only local league in India that is televised, the top tier of the Kolkata league is drawing a good crowd, at least for matches featuring Mohun Bagan and seven-time defending champions East Bengal.
Allegations of match-fixing though aren’t exactly new in this competition that is over 100 years old and is the oldest in Asia. Decades ago, a team, Victoria Sporting, protesting against contrived results, had conceded over 100 goals in match.