TFA suspends former India captain Shabbir Ali for one year

Former India captain Shabbir Ali has been suspended for one year by the Telangana Football Association (TFA), which accuses the Dhyan Chand Awardee of repeatedly working against the state body.

Ali is president of Abbas Union Football Club. According to Telangana Today, TFA Secretary G Palguna said that the penalty was cleared by the association’s Executive Committee, Technical Committee and General Body.

Palguna said that the last straw was a meeting at Olympic Bhavan on Wednesday, October 7, which TFA considered unauthorised. He said that the association had told affiliated clubs, departments and academies on its official WhatsApp groups to stay away and warned of action against anyone who attended. Ali went anyway, Palguna said.

TFA sent a show-cause notice on Thursday, October 8, to the secretary of Abbas Union FC. The secretary replied on Thursday, October 15, and TFA responded on Saturday, October 17. The secretary then withdrew the reply, Palguna said.

Earlier complaints

Palguna said that the Olympic Bhavan meeting was not the first issue. He alleged that, despite repeated reminders, Ali kept going directly to government officials and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) instead of using TFA’s channels.

He also alleged that Ali pushed Palam Acharjee, then chairman of the TFA Coaches Committee, to write to the AIFF against TFA, and later handed that letter to the AIFF president and secretary at an AIFF Executive Committee meeting. Acharjee later gave TFA a written apology, Palguna said.

Palguna also cited a letter dated Monday, March 30, in which the Abbas Union FC secretary asked TFA to deal only with the club secretary on official matters.

Santosh Trophy licence dispute

Palguna said that Ali told TFA he held an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) B licence when he was appointed coach of the Telangana Santosh Trophy team, and TFA relied on that claim. In Bengaluru, he said, the AIFF refused to let Ali coach the team in a match because he did not have the licence.

TFA then asked the Karnataka Football Association for an eligible coach, and one from Bengaluru was assigned to Telangana. Palguna said that Ali afterwards asked TFA to protect his reputation, and TFA requested the AIFF to list him as manager in place of Acharjee.

Second suspension

TFA has also suspended ES Shyam of State Bank of India for one year after disciplinary proceedings. Palguna alleged that Shyam began acting against the association’s interests and reputation, and that his later conduct led to the action.

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