Fate of title still uncertain

The fate of the decisive match of the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League still remains uncertain several weeks after that unfinished game but the executive committee of the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) has asked the league committee to place the matter before them after taking a decision on the encounter.

The fixture in question, held on June 7, was a title-deciding affair with Mohammedan SC needing a single point to claim the prestigious trophy against Dhaka Mariner Young's Club, who needed the full three points to force the tournament into a play-off competition among Abahani, Mohammedan and Mariner Young's.

The match remained incomplete at 44 minutes following an equaliser from Mariner Young's that lead to both teams engaging in an argument which halted the tie for one-and-a-half hours until the two Chinese umpires ultimately left the ground.

“We asked the league committee to take a final decision on the match and also asked the match commissioner [Nazirul Islam Nazu] to submit a comprehensive report on it instead of an incomplete report,” said BHF general secretary Abdus Sadeque after a meeting yesterday.

Sadeque also hinted that there is hardly any chance for a rematch between the sides and that the league committee will revise the video footage instead to find a real solution.

“To be honest, it is big challenge of hockey federation to conduct the league in the face of different demands from the clubs, who take the federation hostage,” said the veteran organiser.

At the meeting it was also decided that Bangladesh will try to participate in the Asian Hockey Federation's newly introduced Hockey Series Open in Pakistan late in September, subject to being granted permission by the concerned authority.

“We have applied for a government order to take part in the Hockey Series Open, which is a ranking tournament, in Pakistan. If we get the order, then we will take part in tournament,” said Sadeque.