You can either make me a scapegoat or we can pledge to work together: Stimac to SAFF

India head coach Igor Stimac will have no further part in the SAFF Championship after being handed a two-match ban and a $500 fine on Friday. Stimac was shown a straight red card against Kuwait and in India’s tournament opener against Pakistan.

The disciplinary committee of the South Asian Football Federation also fined Rahim Ali $500 for his red card but suspended him for one game meaning he would be available for the final should India beat Lebanon in Saturday’s semi-final. Kuwait’s Hamad Alqallaf, shown the red card along with Ali in the 89th minute, was also banned for one game and fined $500. The decisions were announced by SAFF general secretary Anwarul Haq.

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Stimac was charged with using abusive and offensive language, and in his explanation to the SAFF Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, he had sought to know on what basis was it levied. Stimac had also sought an “online oral hearing” to explain himself.

HT has a copy of the three-page explanation sent on Thursday evening where Stimac had asked for the suspension to be revoked. He said that a lot of injustice was done against India in the Kuwait game by “poor decisions of match officials… You can either make me a scapegoat or we can pledge to work together to grow the game we love.”

Stimac said Alqallaf “repeatedly provoked me using verbal slander and hand gestures near the 4th (sic) official (Arshad Ul Haque) without any action being taken against him.” Alqallaf, he said, asked him to “shut up.” But when he responded, the fourth official stopped the game, called the referee (Alomgir) and “insisted on the red card that was given to me.” No action was taken against Alqallaf, said Stimac in the letter.

Stimac included a photograph where Alqallaf is seen looking at him with a finger on his lips. Enclosing another photograph in his explanation which shows him, ball in hand, gesturing to Alqallaf, Stimac said he was “trying to de-escalate the situation” and “requesting the Kuwait player to calm down.”

Stimac began his explanation by saying he was “deeply regretful” for the red card against Pakistan on June 21. “I realise the consequences of those actions on the game and on my team personally,” he said. The expulsion contributed to the 80th minute red card against Kuwait, he said.

The explanation chronologically listed “multiple incidents” that contributed to emotions running high. The incidents, of which Stimac sent a video link along with the letter, included infringements against India beginning with the 14th minute foul on Anirudh Thapa, which was ignored, to his expulsion.

Included in the incidents were Ashique Kuruniyan being denied a chance to be on goal in the 20th minute. “This was a clear goalscoring opportunity where you can see that the linesman was in the correct position just as myself to witness the mistake.” Also in the explanation was “four Kuwait players at the official referees’ face and no yellow cards were given.” Through these incidents, Stimac mentioned that he didn’t leave the technical area.

The letter mentioned that India’s recent run of unbeaten games is “testament to the good work done by AIFF.” Stimac said all India were asking for is that “games be played within the rules of fair play and keeping the dignity of the players and the game as paramount. This is how we would like our guests to remember the SAFF Cup.”

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