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Women’s Football

Abahani’s pull-out raises questions

Sports Reporter
The first Women's Football League involving eight clubs gets underway from tomorrow at Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club will take onDipaliJubo Sangho in the opening match as eight teams split into two groups will compete in the round-robin league matches and top two teams will advance into the semifinals, slotted for October 12 and 13. The final will take place on September 14.
However, even before the ball gets rolling, the inaugural edition of the league has been mired in controversy due to the pool system, which has allegedly forced Abahani to pull out of the inaugural league.
“We have faced a lot of hurdles before reaching this stage as the league was planned to commence in early 2010," said Sirajul Islam Bachchu, chairman of the BFF women's football committee, at a press conference yesterday.
The committee selected 31 players for the pool allowing each of the clubs to rope in
six players from the pool. However the bone of contention is that the pool considered performance in the SA Games held early 2010, while disregarding the national team's later engagements in the Olympic Qualifiers earlier this year as well as the SAFFWomen's Football Championship held in latter 2010.
There is whisper in the air that the committee prepared the list to give advantage to a specific club which forced Abahani to pull out of the league due to a shortage of quality players.
“It would not have been justified if we considered the last two engagements of the national team since we wanted to keep quality players in the pool.
“Besides, it is not true that we are giving advantage to Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. If we had that sort of intention, we could have taken more advantage as my own team Wari Club is playing in the league," said Bachchu.
“I heard that Abahani could not collect back-up players even though they initially
roped in six players from the pool. This was the reason behind Abahani not participating, and it is completely their decision,” Bachchu explained about Abahani's pull-out.
Walton will provide Tk 4.5 lakh as the title sponsorship for the league. State-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) will telecast the opening match live as well as the two semifinals and the final.
GROUP A: Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Wari Club, Arambagh KS, Dipali Jubo Sangho
GROUP B: Mohammedan SC, Brothers Union, Dhaka Wanderers Club and Farashganj SC.