The All India Football Federation on Tuesday called back the referee who stood in the controversial National Football League match between Fransa Pax and Mahindra United in Goa on Monday night.
Bikramjit, the Delhi referee who awarded two dubious penalties to Federation Cup champions Mahindra United, which gave them a 2-1 victory over the Goa team, was asked to return though he was scheduled to stay in Goa for another 10 days and officiate in other matches.
"The AIFF has taken the first step by calling back the referee and we are hoping for a prompt decision to resolve this controversy," Goa Football Association secretary Savio Messias said.
Fransa Pax has lodged an official complaint on the standard of refereeing in the match and threatened to pull out of the NFL unless the match is replayed or a point awarded to each team.
"There is no question of playing our next NFL match against Air India on February 3 unless our rightful demand is met," Fransa president Micky Pacheco said.
Alleging bias on the part of the referee, he said, "The two penalties awarded against us were wrong decisions. Also, one of our goals was wrongly ruled as off-side," adding "we were at the wrong end of some poor refereeing in the Federation Cup also."
Messias agreed, saying, "The first penalty was a wrong decision and the second was even worse."
Messias also slammed local fans and club officials for errant behaviour.
"There was stone-pelting and breaking of windowpanes, and the referee and Mahindra players were also under threat. Such conduct cannot be condoned," he said.
Asked about Fransa's threat to pull out of the league, Messias said, "We are in regular contact with them and hope that they do not take such an extreme step."
AIFF secretary-general Alberto Colaco said the AIFF received the Match Commissioner's report and it now awaiting the GFA's version of the events.
"We will study the two reports and, if necessary, watch the video footage of the match before coming to a conclusion," he said.
Colaco, however, made it clear that recalling the referee did not mean that he was deemed guilty.
Referring to the pull-out threat, he remarked "This is a democratic country."
"Such issues will be put before the disciplinary committee of the NFL for a final decision which should come within 15 days," he added.
However, a senior AIFF official did not take Fransa's pull-out threat seriously.
"Pacheco has made such threats before also. One should not take what politicians say at face value," he said, obviously referring to Goa's agriculture minister.
