Chandigarh, Sep 6 (UNI) The age problem continues to bother the organisers and the Chandigarh Administration's move to appoint a medical board consisting of doctors from Sector 16 Government Multispecialities Hospital got a mild setback as the Mohun Bagan Sail Football Academy authorities challenged the findings of the medical panel which declared their four players overage after medical examination.
The Mohun Bagan authorities were insisting that their players were eligible to take part in the ongoing sixth Administrator's Challege Cup All-India Football Tournament for Under-17. While the Chandgiarh Sports Department stood with the decision of the medical board consisting of Dr Shard Indu Sharma, MO Ortho, Dr Raman Nijhawan, SMO Radiology, Dr Karam Singh, MO Radiology and Dr S Satiza, MO Dental, all from Government Multispeciality Hospital, Sector 16.
Mohun Bagan insisted on getting their boys undergo for Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) as per guidelines of the All India Football Federation, the governing body of football in the country.
It is learnt that the Chandigarh Sports Department agreed to abide by the decision of MRI findings. However, the department asked Mohun Bagan to take their four boys for MRI at their own expenses. The Mohun Bagan authorities got Sourav Chakraborty, Sandipan Dutta, Amit Saha and Appollo Rongmei for MRI in a private clinic at their own expenses. On the basis of the MRI report, barring Appollo Rongmei,the three other Bagan players were declared eligible. Now the question is which yardstick should be adopted to ascertain the correct date of birth.
It may be recalled that the medical panel constituted by the Chandigarh Administration had medically declared 30 players, including one of its own Chandigarh Football Academy, of different teams overage and were barred.
Strengthened with the inclusion of these three players, Mohun Bagan routed Bihar Football Association by 13-0 in their group B match yesterday.
The organising committee had laid down rules for eligibility on the age basis. Despite age proof, the AIFF observer/match commissioner reserves the right to refer any player, who appears to be overage, to the medical committee, which will examine the player and if necessary, take MRI for ascertaining the correct age.
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