E-Paper
Mohun Bagan champs; no individual awards as AIFF ends I-League season
As per the report, the table-toppers Mohun Bagan will be declared as champions for the 2019-20 season.
Mohun Bagan were declared champions of the 2019-20 I-League after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) decided to freeze the competition and end the season on Saturday. Mohun Bagan, on an unassailable 39 points 16 ahead of second-placed East Bengal when the competition was stopped due to the coronavirus last month, will get the winners’ prize of Rs 1 crore. Following a meeting of the league committee under Subrata Dutta, senior vice-president of the AIFF, it was decided to split the remaining prize purse of Rs 1.25 crore equally among 10 teams. The second (Rs 60 lakh), third (Rs 40 lakh) and fourth (Rs 25 lakh) teams in the I-League get a share of the prize money.
The AIFF had sought suggestions from I-League clubs and barring East Bengal, all had said Mohun Bagan should be declared winners and the remaining prize purse be equally divided. Four points separated the second to eighth teams when the league was stopped.
With Mohun Bagan joining the Indian Super League next season, it was also decided that there would be no relegation in 2019-20.
No individual awards will be given because the season couldn’t be completed, said an AIFF official. I-League has awards for the best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, forward, the highest goalscorer, emerging player and the player with the best disciplinary record.
2nd div proposal
Before the 2020-21 first division starts, a league-cum-knockout competition involving eight second-division teams who played this term has been proposed, according to the official. The competition is subject to approval of the AIFF executive committee and the Asian Football Confederation. The winners will be promoted to the 2020-21 I-League first division.
Reserve teams of the Indian Super League, which play the I-League second division but cannot be promoted, will not be part of the competition.
With nearly 500 games remaining in different youth leagues, the committee decided those competitions will start afresh next season.
