Igor Stimac, the head coach of India, might be suspended for two games due to his actions during the match against Kuwait for the Indian Football Team. After receiving a red card on Tuesday, the Croatian player may be prosecuted with using profanity towards match officials and suspended for two games, including the semifinal of the 2023 SAFF Championship. The forthcoming game will feature Sunil Chhetri and company playing Lebanon.
“After the match, Stimac verbally abused the match officials. The referee’s report mentions this. Usually, some leniency is shown for the first offence, which is why he was not punished beyond the mandatory one-match ban for the first red card,” quoted a SAFF official.
WATCH late DRAMA engulf Blue Tigers as Igor Stimac, Rahim Ali sent off
Should India be selected for the July 4 final, such a suspension would prevent Stimac from participating in the SAFF Championships going forward. Stimac will miss Saturday’s semifinal encounter against Lebanon due to the required one-match suspension following a red card.
In the 80th minute of India’s final group league match against Kuwait, which ended in a 1-1 tie, referee Alomgir issued Stimac a red card. After serving a one-match suspension for receiving a red card in India’s opening match against Pakistan on June 21, Stimac was back on the bench for this contest.
Separately, a SAFF Championship match official who was not present for the India-Kuwait play said that Stimac angrily insulted referee Alomgir and his crew following the game. Given that he is not permitted to communicate with the media, the match official asked to remain anonymous.
Rahim Ali of India and Hamad Al Qallaf of Kuwait were both dismissed for retaliation.
India 1-1 Kuwait: Sunil Chhetri on sheet as Blue Tigers play out feisty…
The match official claimed he couldn’t remember any of those things happening in the 30-year-old competition, despite the fact that SAFF has the authority to escalate this to the AFC and FIFA and even penalise Stimac. The match official predicted that the player would miss two matches because punishments often end with the competition.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is alarmed by Stimac’s actions. No one wanted to go on record because India, the reigning champions, are still in the running, but an AIFF representative stated secretary-general Shaji Prabhakaran will have a “conversation” with the coach before the semi-final. If it becomes known that India’s coach may be pushed into showing a red card, it will be at their extreme disadvantage, according to the AIFF official.
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