India cancel friendly match against Barbados

Indian football team's tour of the West Indies is turning out to be a hugely controversial one as the first international friendly against Barbados on Wednesday was called off after a fuming Armando Colaco protested against the cold treatment meted out to them by the local organisers.

Indian football team's tour of the West Indies is turning out to be a hugely controversial one as the first international friendly against Barbados on Wednesday was called off after a fuming Armando Colaco protested against the cold treatment meted out to them by the local organisers.

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Colaco was upset that none from the Barbados Football Association were there at the Bridgetown Airport to receive the team on their arrival on Monday, sources in the All India Football Federation said.

The team members were earlier promised visas on arrival but they had to wait for a few hours before getting them.

There too, no help came from the tour sponsors, +One. The Indian team management also had to arrange a hotel on its own. Later, BFA officials apologised and took the team to the its designated hotel, but an upset Colaco was adamant on not playing the match, sources said.

The AIFF, however, maintained that the match was cancelled since the players were tired after a 23-hour long journey. Colaco felt that the change in travel schedule due to London riots left the players too tired to take the field.