Upset over hard-hitting reportage, Minerva FC issues gag order

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 25

In an unprecedented occurrence, the Minerva Punjab FC management prevented The Tribune’s correspondent from attending an I-League pre-match press conference at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium today. 

The immediate provocation for this act seems to be a news report published in the newspaper on February 21. The news report had highlighted how a man armed with a gun had roamed around on the stadium premises on February 20 during a match between Minerva FC and Gokulam Kerala FC.  This man turned out to be a personal security officer of one of the directors of the club, and All-India Football Federation (AIFF) said that his being on the premises was “unacceptable.”

Interestingly, the correspondent in question had covered three I-League matches at the venue without facing any difficulty before this news report was published.

Rahul Anand, Chief Business Officer for Minerva FC, said that the management had informed the staff to stop the journalist from attending the press conference this morning. And perhaps the decision is for rest of the home matches.

“I am not from Chandigarh, hence was not aware about any decision or matter in the past of the management. If there are some issues, it’s always better to talk or solve directly with the management,” said Anand to the correspondent.

The Minerva FC support staff made sure that the Tribune team could not enter the arena till the press conference was over. When asked about a written notification from the AIFF on this issue, they had no answer. It’s worth mentioning that this is not the first time that the Minerva FC management is unhappy with ‘negative’ coverage in the media.

On November 29 last year, The Tribune had reported how one of the directors of the club, Ranjit Bajaj, was involved in an argument/altercation with a coach of the UT Sports Department during a semifinal match of the All-India Administrator’s Cup.

The club was warned by the organisers through a letter, a copy of which is in possession of The Tribune. Despite a Minerva FC director apologising in writing for the incident — a copy of the apology letter is in possession of The Tribune — on November 29, the club management took the matter to the court and the matter is still sub judice.

It’s worth mentioning that The Tribune continued to report and highlight the achievements of the club and its players.

Minerva’s action condemned

“The I-League is owned and organised by AIFF, and Minerva FC cannot decide which reporter would cover the tournament,” said an AIFF official.

Chandigarh Press Club has condemned Minerva FC for trying to prevent reporting of unsavoury incidents/activities that concern the club.

“Since I-League is organised by All-India Football Federation, Minerva FC does not have the right to ban journalists from covering this tournament,” Chandigarh Press Club said in a statement today. “Chandigarh Press Club condemns Minerva FC for this dictatorial and authoritarian behaviour and urges AIFF to help resolve the matter.”