Minerva forfeit match against Real Kashmir

New Delhi, February 16 

Defending champions Minerva Punjab FC forfeited their I-League match against Real Kashmir FC in Srinagar after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) turned down their request to relocate the fixture in the aftermath of the Pulwama terrorist attack. The match was scheduled for Sunday and Minerva said its foreign players have been advised by their respective countries’ embassies to pull out. “We regret to inform you that this is not a risk that we are ready to take hence we shall not be travelling to the turbulent region,” the Punjab club said in its letter to the AIFF.

Minerva also said that it did not receive the security assurances it had sought from the AIFF following the attack on Thursday. Minerva once again urged the AIFF “to delay the match for at least a fortnight till situation in the valley is settled. ...alternately we are ready to play in Delhi, Chandigarh or any other neutral venue,” the club said in a statement.

Earlier, I-League CEO Sunando Dhar said local security authorities in Srinagar gave the go-ahead to hold the match at the TRC Ground. He said the AIFF was assured of all the necessary security arrangements for the players and officials by the local authorities. 

Real Kashmir will get three points from the match. The league debutants will be on 35 points from 17 matches. Leaders Chennai City FC (34 points from 16 matches) will play against Shillong Lajong on Sunday. Third-placed East Bengal (31 points from 15 matches), who are scheduled to play against Real Kashmir on February 28, have also got in touch with the AIFF after the attack, expressing similar security concerns. — PTI