E-Paper
Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal match postponed amid security concerns
East Bengal lead the standings with eight points from four games, Mohun Bagan are second with seven points after four rounds.
The first Kolkata derby of the 2019-20 I-League, scheduled on Sunday, has been postponed. Mohun Bagan, who were to host East Bengal at Salt Lake stadium, did not accept the police’s request to limit the number of tickets for a match expected to draw approximately 60,000 people.
“Organising a full scale match shall be quite challenging for all the stakeholders,” the deputy commissioner of police (HQ) Bidhannagar wrote to Mohun Bagan on Wednesday. Club officials met the police and then wrote to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) seeking a later date.
“You are very much aware that thousands of football lovers of Kolkata wait eagerly for the derby match. With this restriction, we will be taking away the opportunity of thousands of football lovers,” said the letter from Mohun Bagan to AIFF, copies of which were released to the media.
“Under the circumstances, we have no choice or alternative to request you to postpone the match to a suitable date in January, 2020,” the letter said. The AIFF, in a media release, said the match has been postponed and that new dates would be communicated soon.
East Bengal lead the standings with eight points from four games, Mohun Bagan are second with seven points after four rounds. Both teams won their last round 2-1 at home; East Bengal beat TRAU and Mohun Bagan downed Gokulam Kerala FC.
