AIFF Concludes I-League Season, Leaders Mohun Bagan to be Crowned Champions

The All India Football Federation‘s (AIFF) league committee on Saturday decided that I-League leaders Mohun Bagan will be declared champions while deeming the suspended season to have been concluded.

I-League was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic with Mohun Bagan leading the standings thanks to their 39 points from 16 matches and had sealed the title when they beat Aizawl FC 1-0 on March 10.

The AIFF committee met via video-conferencing and made its recommendations to its executive committee which in turn will now just has to endorse it formally.

While Mohun Bagan will be handed over their prize money of Rs 1 crore, the amount reserved for the next three clubs (based on the standings) Rs 1.25 crore will be distributed equally among the remaining 10 teams.

As per the regulations, Rs 60 lakh is awarded to the second team while the third-placed gets Rs 40 lakh and Rs 25 lakh for finishing fourth. In other words, the teams will get Rs 12.5 lakh each.

“As per regulations, only the top four clubs are eligible for prize money, but it would have been unfair to freeze points position at this moment. If you look at the league standings, except for bottom-placed Indian Arrows, all teams could have made it to the top four, if they played the remaining games,” an AIFF official was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

Real Kashmir FC coach David Robertson said Mohun Bagan are the deserving winners.

“They are the deserving winners. They were organised at the back and I think that made the difference. They conceded just 13 goals. They were a very difficult team to beat. Also, the fact that other teams were very inconsistent helped Bagan,” Real Kashmir FC coach David Robertson told The Telegraph.