WIFA Suspends Dodsal FC From Competition After Club Refuses To Release Six Players

The Western India Football Association "temporarily suspended cash-rich Dodsal FC from participating in competitions at any level" after it "failed to release six players for selection trials of the Maharashtra state team that will take part in the Santosh Trophy," which begins on Feb. 1 in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh, according to Kunaal Majgaonkar of the TIMES OF INDIA. But while WIFA's blanket ban has "prevented the club from taking part in any local, national and international leagues or tournaments," there was confusion over Dodsal's much anticipated participation in the I-League Division II that begins in March. WIFA "had written to Dodsal asking them to release NP Pradeep, Paresh Shivalkar, Mohammed Rafi, Kali Allauddin, Arup Debnath and Ravindra Ghosh." WIFA Secretary Souter Vaz said, "We contacted the club asking why they hadn't released the players only to be told that instructions were being awaited from the club's owners in Dubai. After waiting for a week, we sent them another letter asking the players to report on January 24 failing which we would be forced to take stringent action but nothing changed and we were forced to suspend the club" (TIMES OF INDIA, 2/1).