Mohammedan seek Papon’s intervention in hockey

Mohammedan Sporting Club sought the intervention of youth and sports minister Nazmul Hassan Papon for justice over the title-deciding match of the Green Delta Insurance Premier Hockey League against Abahani, claiming that the club is not getting cooperation from Bangladesh Hockey Federation.

On Friday, Mohammedan, despite leading 3-2 in a chaotic last match of the league against Abahani, refused to play the last 18 minutes over an umpiring decision and got into a brawl, eventually forcing the match officials to declare Abahani as the winners. The outcome meant Mohammedan were denied the title, leading to a playoff between Abahani and Mariner Youngs.

"We are drawing the attention of youth and sports minister, successful BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon to look into the matter. You (Papon) had played a crucial role in the transitional period of hockey in the past. In such a bad time of hockey, we are expecting you to intervene and look into the matter," Mohammedan's director-in-charge of administration, Kazi Firoz Rashid, said at a press conference at the club board room on Sunday.

Former national coach Pratap Shankar Hazra explained the federation's unfair activities against Mohammedan.

"The federation used the bylaws in three different ways in similar incidents in three matches. Bangladesh Sporting Club and Azad Sporting Club were awarded one point each despite not completing the match – a decision taken outside the bylaws. Then, Bangladesh SC and Ajax SC completed their match in two days after the match was paused over an umpiring decision.

"However, the umpire did not wait for Mohammedan's appeal in the same situation and blew the final whistle after being instructed by the federation officials from the review rooms. We also did not get a response from the federation president despite writing to him over biased umpiring," said Hazra.

"We expected the league committee to hold the remainder of the match the next day as there are instances in the league but the umpires left the ground blowing the final whistle and we were astonished to see Abahani declared as winners," Hazra said. "We urge the government to remove the incumbent biased committee of Bangladesh Hockey Federation and appoint an ad-hoc committee to run hockey competitions impartially."

Mohammedan officials also threatened to not take part in any activities under the existing committee if they don't get justice but also said that they would accept whatever decision the minister takes.

Mohammedan director Mijan Rana, manager Ariful Haque Prince, hockey committee members Sarwar Hossain and others were also present at the press conference.