Kerala Blasters ‘Temporary Pauses’ Women’s Team After Being Fined by AIFF for Forfeiting ISL Game

Kerala Blasters announced a temporary pause of its women’s team, which was formed July last year and plays in the Kerala Women’s League, on Tuesday due to fines imposed by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) after forfeiting an Indian Super League (ISL) game last season.

“It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the temporary pause of our Women’s Team. This decision has been necessitated by the recent financial sanctions imposed on our club by the football federation. While we respect the authority and decisions of the federation, we cannot deny our disappointment at the impact it is likely to have across various functions of our Club,” Kerela Blaster said wrote in a statement.

This comes after the AIFF Appeal Committee rejected Kerala Blasters’s appeal against the Rs 4 crore fine imposed for misconduct and abandonment of their game against Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League play offs back in March. The committee also rejected Ivan Vukumanovic’s appeal against the fine of Rs 5 lakh and a 10-game ban imposed on him.

In its initial decision on March 31, 2023, the AIFF Disciplinary Committee had also stated that the club and the coach needed to make public apologies, in the absence of which the fines would be increased to Rs 6 crore and Rs 10 lakh, respectively.

In its appeal, the club had argued for levity with regards to the fine and asked that it be reduced to the minimum amount for abandoning the match. Vukomanovic’s appeal said that the fine and the ban be removed entirely upon review by the AIFF Appeal Committee.

In its decision on June 2, 2023, the Appeal Committee said “:….the appeal of the appellant team is denied and that Kerala Blasters FC is instructed to pay the fine of Rs. 4 crore imposed by the Disciplinary Committee.”

On the appeal made by Ivan Vukomanovic, the Appeal Committee said: “….this Committee holds that the appeal of the Appellant Coach is denied and that Mr. Ivan Vukomanovic is instructed to pay the fine of Rs. 5 lakh and serve the suspension for 10 matches and the ban from being a part of the team dressing room and team bench, irrespective of the team he is contracted with.Any match for which such suspension and ban have already been served shall count towards compliance with this decision.”