If you were to refer to the official ISL website, it was a lovely final to end the second edition of India’s premier football tournament with Chennaiyin FC beating FC Goa 3-2. And so it should have been for the final of a tournament that aims to raise the standard of football played in the country. It was a crackling match with more than enough excitement for viewers.
But what happened after that was something no sporting event should see.
Elano (right) at the police station. Source: PTI
Fight between Chennaiyin skipper Elano and Goan team owner
Apparently, Dattaraj Salgaonkar, the co-owner of FC Goa, went up to Chennai’s captain Elano Blummer to tell him that he liked the way he plays. However, the player reportedly caught him by the neck and assaulted him with his elbow, reported the Times of India.
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar claimed to the Hindu that he had also seen it. Srinivas Dempo, the second co-owner of Goa, who was present during the incident, said Elano came out of the team dugout and started making fun of FC Goa players. When Salgaocar questioned him about this, Elano allegedy assaulted him
Salgaocar filed an FIR, Elano was arrested after he exited the dressing room after keeping police officials waiting for hours and on Monday got bail from a Goa court.
And then he left the country.
The Goa team before the match . Source: ISL website
None of the FC Goa players come up to take their individual medals
Salgaocar told the Times of India that to protest the assault and the refereeing decisions the entire team boycotted the prize distribution ceremony after the match. So ISL officials had to come up to take the individual prizes that were meant for Goa players, Jofre Gonzalez and Romeo Fernandes.
Even the chief minister of Goa who had been invited for the match didn’t stick around for the prize distribution ceremony. “I did not find it worthwhile to even wait for the prize distribution function. I was invited for the match by Mr. Salgaonkar,” he told the Hindu. No surprise then that he boycotted the function.
Poor sportsmanship anyone?
Referee Yamamoto (second from right) with the two team’s captains. Source: ISL website
Referee had to be protected from enraged kit boy
Security personnel then had to form a protective cordon around him to escort him off the ground.
Just to be clear kit assistants shouldn’t be charging at referees at the end of matches.
The Indian Super League has said it will be taking strong action according to a statement a journalist tweeted:
Hopefully the league will act on its plan and take strong action against everyone ranging from the kit assistant who allegedly charged the referee, the FC Goa team for boycotting the function and the Brazilian midfielder for his conduct. It’s failure to do so will only serve as a terrible precedent for the future editions of the 2-year-old tournament.
Featured image source: ISL website