Football
ISL: Mohammedan Sporting players not paid, boycott training
A club official had to meet the players in person as an act of assurance.
Mohammedan Sporting is scheduled to play Chennaiyin FC in Kolkata on January 15, 2025. (Photo credit: ISL)
Mohammedan Sporting players boycotted their training at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday ahead of the club’s Indian Super League (ISL) home game against Chennaiyin FC, set for January 15, as a mark of protest over unpaid dues.
The players have reportedly not been paid for three months.
While the club management had promised to clear the dues by January 15, with Wednesday being the deadline, the players decided to boycott training, with no positive signals from the management. This has put the club's game against Chennaiyin FC in a spot.
A mark of protest
“The training was supposed to start at 4 PM today. The players have not come for training, perhaps as a mark of protest over their unpaid dues,” a source familiar with the development told The Bridge earlier today.
Later, in the evening, another source, on condition of anonymity, said, "The players have boycotted the training for an hour and resumed it only after an official of the club met them."
The details of the meeting are not known yet.
There are also reports that the players have written to the AIFF and FIFA regarding the nonpayment of their salaries, although the sources refuted the claim.
This protest comes against the backdrop of a spirited performance by Mohammedan Sporting against second-placed Bengaluru FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru last week.
Mirjalol Kasimov’s superb free-kick from just outside the penalty area in the 88th minute beat Gurpreet Singh Sandhu at the near post, helping Mohammedan Sporting secure only their second win of the season.
Financial woes deepen
Recently, Mohammedan Sporting signed Robi Hansda, a tribal boy from West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district on a loan deal for six months, to strengthen their attacking lineup.
Last year, Mohammedan Sporting earned a promotion to the ISL after winning the I-League.
Following the club’s promotion, Shrachi Sports announced a partnership with the Kolkata-based club and pledged to support 30 per cent of the club's finances over the next three years.
However, the latest fiasco has brought to the fore deeper financial struggles within the century-old club.
