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Football

AFC Champions League 2021: Persepolis FC accuse Indian authorities of sabotaging their trip

FC Goa's primary opponents in the group stages of the AFC Champions League, Persepolis FC, have accused India of lacklustre arrangements.

Persepolis FC Goa AFC Champions League Sabotage
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Persepolis FC squad (Source: Twitter/Persepolis FC)

By

Sayan Chatterjee

Updated: 10 April 2021 8:24 AM GMT

The AFC Champions League Group E games for the West Zone involving FC Goa, Persepolis FC, Al Rayyan and Al Wahda are scheduled to start on the 14th of April. All the matches will be held in Goa. However, with just four days to go for the same, the Gaurs' biggest opponents, last season's runners-up Persepolis, have accused the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Indian authorities of 'trying to sabotage' their trip to the country from Iran.

According to a statement released on the club's official website, the Iranian club have claimed that although the procedure of obtaining visas, flights and hotel bookings had progressed smoothly till Friday, 'strange things have happened' since. "The flight permit for the Persepolis convoy has not been issued by India, and although members of the Persepolis team and club are waiting to start their journey and set up camp in Goa, there is still no positive news from the host country," reads an excerpt from the statement.

The club didn't hold back any punches as they went on to accuse the Indian authorities of deliberately trying to sabotage their trip and called for the matter to be resolved immediately. They also claimed that this isn't their first problem in India and that it won't be their last, with the threat of coronavirus also looming large. Whether their flight to India is postponed to Sunday remains to be seen but this isn't a great advertisement for hosting future events in India, that is for sure.

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