Panchkula: Minerva Punjab FC coach Khogen Singh believes that East Bengal’s demand for foreign referees is “an act of desperation”.

Taking a jibe on their opponents, Khogen said, “I do agree that refereeing this season has not been up to the mark. On numerous occasions, we too have got bad decisions and I do feel that I-League needs foreign referees, but from the beginning of the tournament not in the fag end.”

“It (East Bengal’s demand for foreign referees for the match versus Minerva) is an act of desperation from their end.”

East Bengal had shot a letter to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday, seeking a panel of observers and foreign referees for the Minerva game.

“Given the importance of the match, we fear that an Indian referee may be subjected to stress which will impair his ability to conduct the game in an unbiased manner. We would sincerely appreciate if the match is conducted by a reputed team of match officials of foreign origin,” East Bengal secretary Kalyan Majumdar’s letter to his AIFF counterpart Kushal Das stated.

Minerva’s centre back Sukhdev Singh echoed Khogen’s thoughts and said that such requests are now pointless. “Match referees are also human beings and they do commit mistakes. As coach (Khogen Singh) said these kind of requests are pointless now,” he said.

East Bengal coach Khalid Jameel refused to comment on the issue. “I am not the right person to speak on this topic. I am here to win the match (against Minerva), no matter who the referee is,” he said.

East Bengal secretary also wanted the AIFF to probe Minerva co-owner Ranjit Bajaj’s allegation of match-fixing prevailing in the league this season. “If the allegation (of match-fixing) is true, then it is a very serious issue. That said, if they are baseless and false, then he (Bajaj) and other Minerva officials should be suspended for making such irresponsible statements,” Majumdar stated in his letter.

Reacting to Majumdar’s statements, Bajaj said, “These are unwanted tactics. Since we are a new club, they are trying to run roughshod over us by applying their clout in the AIFF.” He also informed that the AIFF hasn’t reverted to his match-fixing complaint yet.

