GANGTOK, : The seven football clubs
participating in Sikkim Football Association’s ‘A’ Division S-League have
collectively decided to withdraw from the league unless their demands are met.
The clubs – Aakraman FC, Gangtok
Himalayan FC, Brotherhood FC, Kumar Sporting Club, Howlers SC, Sang Mustang FC
and Sikkim Boys FC – have expressed their dissatisfaction with how the SFA has
handled the league’s operations, particularly its delayed start, poor
communication and erratic scheduling.
In a letter addressed to the SFA
president today, the clubs expressed frustration over the league’s delayed
start caused by controversy surrounding its name, initially dubbed the “Sikkim
Premier League.” This delay forced clubs to incur additional costs to retain
their players which, they said, was both unfair and burdensome.
The clubs criticized the SFA for its
unprofessional communication claiming that the league was abruptly suspended
and resumed without any formal notification. “Instead of a proper letter, teams
were informed through a single-line message on WhatsApp stating, ‘League is
suspended.’ This unprofessional approach led to confusion and uncertainty for
clubs, players and support staff,” the clubs said.
The newly revised fixture has also been
a source of discontent. Teams are expected to play three matches in four days,
which clubs described as “unreasonable and demonstrates a lack of concern for
the well-being of players.” The clubs
said: “Such scheduling not only affects the performance of the teams but also
significantly increases the risk of injuries, which could have been avoided
with proper planning.”
Another reason cited was frequent league
halts. The clubs said the league’s abrupt halts and unplanned resumptions have
made it difficult to retain players, many of whom may be unavailable after
their contracts expire on October 10. “We are left with the difficult task of
retaining players and keeping them engaged without any certainty regarding
future match dates. If our players are unavailable or out of State when the
league resumes, how are we supposed to field a team? As our players' contracts
expire on October 10, 2024, it is imperative that they are either released or
provided with new contracts, which our clubs cannot financially support beyond
this date.”
In the letter, the clubs also condemned
the “unfair decisions” imposed on the clubs during the league and demanded
implementation of a fair third party video review system.
The clubs are demanding financial
compensation for the losses incurred during the days when the league was
delayed or suspended.
In their letter, the clubs made it clear
that if the SFA does not take immediate steps to address these concerns, they
will withdraw from the competition and may consider taking legal action to
protect their interests.
“We hope that our grievances will be
taken seriously, and necessary actions will be implemented to restore the
integrity and fairness of the competition. We look forward to your prompt
attention to these matters and hope for a resolution that allows for the fair
conduct of the league. Please be advised that if our demands are not addressed,
we will have no choice but to consider legal action to protect our rights and
interests,” the clubs added.
The ‘A’ Division S-League was set to
resume on September 29 after several delays.