Mariners appeal to BHF president

Defending champions Dhaka Mariner Young's Club sought intervention from Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) president Air Chief Marshall Masihuzzaman Serniabat, claiming that there was conspiracy against them.

The club claim that bylaws and umpire's reports were ignored by 'a vested group' when taking a decision over an undecided Premier Hockey League match between Mohammedan and them.

The appeal was lodged through a press conference at their club premises yesterday as the Bangladesh Hockey Federation executive committee is scheduled to hold a meeting on October 30 to discuss this matter alongside other agendas.

“After the new BHF president assumed office, a vested group from inside the executive committee conspired against Mariners. Some signs of those conspiracies are that the league committee prepared a report on that match while ignoring league bylaws and the reports from the match umpires and commissioner,” said Mariners vice president Alamgir Kabir yesterday.

“We have learnt that the league committee recommended a reduction of points for both Mariners and Mohammedan in a bid to announce Abahani and Mohammedan as joint champions.

"So we urge the BHF president to form a neutral inquiry committee so that the Mariners are not deprived of their rights,” added Alamgir.

On June 7 this year, Mariners and Mohammedan locked horns in the last Super League match of the Dhaka Premier Hockey League but that encounter remained unfinished following a dispute over a goal in favour of the Mariners.

The Mariners, on 36 points, needed an outright win over Mohammedan, on 39 points, to force a championship play-off among the top three teams -- Mariners, Mohammedan and Abahani, who were also on 39 points.