Mohun Bagan SG Confirms AFC Acknowledgment of Decision Not to Travel to Iran, Withdrawal Remains Firm

On Saturday, Mohun Bagan Super Giant announced that the Asian Football Confederation has acknowledged the club’s withdrawal from their AFC Champions League 2 match in Iran last month as a case of force majeure. The decision to skip the October 2 match against Tractor FC was made with the players’ “safety and security” as the primary concern, given the unstable situation in the West Asian region at that time.

The continental governing body responded quickly, resulting in the Kolkata-based club’s withdrawal from the tournament while awaiting further developments regarding the situation. According to Mohun Bagan SG, the AFC has now recognized their concerns but confirmed that the club’s withdrawal from the tournament remains unchanged.

In a statement, the club revealed, “On 2nd November 2024, Mohun Bagan Super Giant was informed by the Asian Football Federation (AFC) that in response to the club’s appeal, the AFC Competitions Committee has decided to acknowledge the issues raised by Mohun Bagan SG as an event of force majeure.”

The statement further noted, “As a result, penal consequences, in accordance with clause 5.7 of AFC Champions League 2 Competition Regulations, shall not apply to Mohun Bagan SG.” However, the club emphasized that despite the recognition of force majeure, they will still be withdrawn from the ongoing season per clauses 5.5 and 5.6 of the AFC Champions League 2 Competition Regulations.

Mohun Bagan SG was set to face Tractor FC on October 2 in a Group A match of the ACL, the continent’s secondary club competition. The players, however, voiced their reluctance to travel to Iran, which was in mourning following the assassination of a general from the Revolutionary Guard due to an Israeli air strike.

Following Iran’s missile strikes on Israel, which heightened political tensions between the two nations, Mohun Bagan decided against making the trip to the country. In the result, the AFC rescheduled matches across its tournaments due to the precarious security situation in Iran, weeks after Mohun Bagan Super Giants had been “withdrawn” from competitions, leading the Indian club to accuse the continental football body of “unequal treatment.”