High Court likely to hear plea of Minerva Punjab to postpone Srinagar match

The Delhi High Court is likely to hear a plea of the Minerva Punjab FC on February 22, seeking the postponement of an I-League match against the Real Kashmir FC.

In the wake of Pulwama attack, a plea was filed by Minerva's counsels Abhimanyu Tewari and Amitabh Tewari, requesting the All India Football Federation (AIFF) league committee to postpone their match with Kashmir, which was scheduled to take place at the TRC Ground in Srinagar on February 18.

"The rejection is completely against all principles of equity and is violative of the I-League regulations 2018-19 and the FIFA safety guidelines," the plea said.

"The decision of the AIFF not to postpone the match is inequitable and has been taken without taking the situation into account and without accounting for the safety of the players and the spectators."

The advocates said that Minerva's fears were well founded and a request to postpone the match would not affect any party in the light of the extremely volatile situation in the Kashmir Valley.

The decision of AIFF, however, not to postpone the match is akin to forcing the players and spectators to play Russian roulette with their lives, the advocates added.

The advocates said that Minerva have international players, who have been advised by their respective countries not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Minerva is languishing at the bottom of the table and an adverse decision would lead to relegation from the first division. Therefore, the decision to not play the match on February 18 is completely bonafide in light of the security situation."

"A decision of awarding three points to Real Kashmir FC is beneficial for them as the same would propel them to the title with better goal difference. Therefore their insistence to play the match," the plea added.