Kolkata, Sep 28(UNI) The Hero I-League Qualifiers 2021 is now reduced to nine- team tournament after
India's supreme football regulating body -the All India Football Federation - has disqualified Jammu and Kashmir's Hyderya Sports FC
from the upcoming championship for producing bank guarantee, which was "not genuine".
" The AIFF would like to inform all the stakeholders of Hero I League Qualifiers 2021 (the League) that upon receiving several complaints
regarding the genuineness of a bank guarantee submitted by Hyderya Sports Kashmir FC, the AIFF initiated an enquiry into the matter,
"The inquiry revealed that the bank guarantee so received was not genuine and that the bank guarantee was never officially issued by the bank named therein.
"The bank guarantee was one of the mandatory requirements to be eligible to participate in the League, which was to be submitted within a specified timeline."
an AIFF statement said.
"The said timeline now stands elapsed and the mandatory requirement has not been fulfilled by the said club. In light of the same, Hyderya's participation in the League stands withdrawn with immediate effect.
The AIFF said it would not make any further statement on the matter.
"Furthermore, the AIFF reserves its rights to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the club," it added.
One of the top private clubs of Kashmir, Hyderya Sports had made the cut for the I-League Qualifiers after J&K Bank, the group toppers in the JKFA Professional League, could not apply for being an institutional team.
Hyderya were slated to play the opening tie against Madan Maharaj FC in Bangalore on 4 October.
Without the Kashmir outfit, group A will now have four teams Rajasthan United FC, Ryntih SC, Madan Maharaj FC and FC Bengaluru United.
Group B comprises Corbett FC, Kenkre Sports, ARA FC, Kerala United FC and Delhi FC.
Top two teams from each group will make the final round where they will face each other in a
round-robin format to decide the toppers, who will be promoted to the I-League.
UNI PC KK