KOLKATA: Life after the exit of Quess Corp is proving not quite so simple for Kolkata football giants East Bengal FC, which has to inform about the club’s status and change of ownership structure to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) by the middle of July and subsequently clear AFC’s club licensing criteria.
The AIFF will send the club licensing agreement as per norm to all clubs by the first week of July, for them to sign and return it back by the middle of next month, IANS reports. This procedure is a must for all Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League clubs as they have to comply with club licensing criteria to take part in AIFF competitions.
Quess Corp, which had a 70 per cent stake in the team but NOT the club, acrimoniously terminated their tie-up with East Bengal on May 31.
But the same has not been informed to AIFF despite the sport’s governing body in the country asking them to inform the club’s status and change of ownership structure more than a month back, the newswire reports.
“We are working on it. We are in touch with AIFF and hopefully the matter will be resolved in time,” senior East Bengal official Debabrata Sarkar told IANS when quizzed about the status.
The club licensing agreement will be sent to ‘Quess East Bengal’ as per official communication since the AIFF has not been informed of any change of ownership, a source close to the development told the newswire.
It is still unclear whether Quess East Bengal FC would be diluted and the footballing rights be transferred back to East Bengal or the company will hold on to their shares in the hope of recovering losses.
East Bengal has had a sour (an understatement if ever there was one) relationship with Quess since the company came on board.
Even as East Bengal is going through an existential crisis, major “kite flying” meant for the consumption of the club’s fan base but having little basis in reality is on in full swing.
Sujan Chakraborty, who is a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and also opposition CPI(M) leader, has urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to “facilitate” the beleaguered club’s entry into the Indian Super League (ISL) this season.
So what could possibly come of this? NOTHING other than some media chatter adequately sums up the situation.
