ISL: East Bengal refute reports CEO missed AIFF Appeals Committee meeting to reduce Antonio Perosevic’s ban

SC East Bengal on Wednesday refuted reports that CEO Shivaji Samaddar missed an AIFF Appeals Committee hearing on their star forward Antonio Perosevic and thus allegedly lost a chance to reduce his five-match ban.

Perosevic was charged for "violent conduct towards a match official" in SC East Bengal's 0-2 loss to NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League on December 17.

"It was earlier indicated to us that Perosevic cannot get a reprieve from his five-match ban and there was a possibility of extension of the ban. However, the committee decided to uphold the original judgement," SC East Bengal said in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement claimed that contrary to reports in the media, the management did not push the matter as the ban risked being increased due to the nature of it.

It is learnt that Samaddar was given a short notice to attend the meeting and he did not get any call from the committee.

"He missed the meeting but he got the mail around 5pm and the meeting was scheduled for 7.30 pm. He tried to join as soon as he saw the mail but it was too late, the committee said," a source in the know of developments told PTI.

The All India Football Federation disciplinary committee met on Monday after the player appealed against the ban but no one from the management attended the meeting.