Guwahati, Jul 20 : The Shillong
Sports Association (SSA) has cleared Shillong Lajong FC player Seikhohao
Tuboi to play for the team, though Malki Sports Club appealed to the
supreme council for further review of his status.
Responding to a protest lodged by Malki, a
Shillong Premier League outfit, that Tuboi was a registered player with
All Manipur Football Association, the Shillong association’s players’
status committee on Monday ruled since the AIFF gave clearance to the
player, there was no need for Tuboi to furnish any more inter-state
transfer clearance.
“Malki had lodged a complaint alleging
Tuboi was still registered with the Manipur association and not eligible
to participate in our league. We sought a clarification from Shillong
Lajong, which has furnished all transfer clearance papers of AIFF, which
were found to be beyond any doubt. AIFF is the apex football body in
the country and when it has cleared Tuboi, we have to abide by it. He is
now our registered player and eligible to participate in any of our
tournaments,” SSA general secretary B. Deingdoh told The Telegraph over phone.
Deingdoh, however, said on the basis of the complaint, the Shillong association was in doubt about the transfer clearance.
“We were yet to be convinced by AIFF
documents making him eligible to play for Lajong and so we asked for all
documents from the club concerned and they have furnished the same. The
documents are quite convincing,” he said.
Malki, however, have appealed to the
association’s council on Tuesday for a further review into the
allegation. The council is the apex body under the Shillong association
and its decisions are the final.
The SSA had communicated its decision to the clubs concerned on Monday evening.
Welcoming the status committee’s decision,
Lajong FC secretary Larsing Ming Sawyan said, “Malki have the right to
complain against the decision and they did so. I appreciate the SSA for
considering all aspects and clearing Tuboi. It has become a blessing in
disguise for us as all doubts about Tuboi have been cleared.”
A domicile of Manipur, Tuboi was barred
from representing the club in Shillong Premier League since July 6,
after Malki lodged a complaint. The 23-year-old promising striker was
earlier suspended by AIFF, for representing two different clubs in the
same season without a proper transfer in 2011.
He had played for Army XI in an
IFA-affiliated tournament, thus making him ineligible to participate in
the second division I-League for Lajong. While Army XI is affiliated to
IFA, the Shillong club is affiliated to the Meghalaya Football
Association.