East Bengal soccer membership’s high-profile English coach Robbie Fowler was on Wednesday suspended for 4 matches and fined Rs 5 lakh after being discovered responsible of constructing “insulting” remarks in opposition to Indian referees on the ongoing ISL however the World Cupper insisted there was nothing racist about his outburst.
Fowler was handed the punishment by the All India Football Federation’s disciplinary committee headed by senior lawyer Ushanath Banerjee. Fowler had mentioned that he was “not sure whether the Referees have an Anti-English thing or Anti East Bengal thing.”
“The Committee held such utterances and publications are gross inconceivable derogatory and contemptuous aspersions apart from blatant malice on the part of Mr. Fowler and tends to offend the dignity, reputation and image of the Referees in India,” learn the disciplinary panel’s detailed order.
The panel requested him to clarify what he meant by his assertion.
Fowler, in line with the committee, didn’t reply and “said that he never intended to make any racist remarks and no malice was ever intended.”
The Liverpool legend had made the controversial comment after East Bengal’s 1-1 draw in opposition to a 10-man FC Goa in Margaon on January 29. He was charged underneath Articles 50.4, 58 and 59.1 of the AIFF Disciplinary Code.
Of these, article 59.1 particularly offers with offences associated to racist remarks.
“…sanctions under Article 59(1)(a) of the Disciplinary Code could have been reasonably imposed upon Mr. Fowler, but the Committee withheld such sanction for the time being…,” the order learn.
East Bengal had, earlier within the day, backed Fowler and denied that he was charged for making allegedly racist remarks.
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