East Bengal officials allege recieving threat calls

Claiming they are receiving threat calls warning of disruption of the I-League fixture on Sunday, East Bengal on Saturday shot off letters to the police authorities and AIFF, citing concerns about the match at Yuba Bharati Krirangan.

East Bengal general secretary Kalyan Majumdar said,"We are getting threat calls for three-four days. They are threatening to disrupt tomorrow's match by hurling missiles posing as East Bengal fans."

On the eve of their match against United SC, Majumdar said this has been brought to the notice of the Bidhan Nagar police station, the IFA and the AIFF.

East Bengal will return to action in the I-League, a week after the high voltage clash against Mohun Bagan was called off following its pull-out after half-time with the red-and-gold brigade leading 1-0.

All hell broke loose after Mohun Bagan star striker Odafa Okolie's red card as midfielder Syed Rahim Nabi was hit in the face by a stone hurled from the stands during the first-half stoppage time.

After play being held up for 15 minutes, Bagan team management refused to turn up after the break, leading to abandonment.

Mohun Bagan's fate hangs in balance with the AIFF yet to take a decision on the matter.

Clause 22 of the AIFF states if a team withdraws in the middle of the match, they will be suspended from the I-League for the current season and the following two seasons unless it is dubbed a 'force majeure'.

According to FIFA rules, if a missile of any kind lands on the ground or if a player is injured, then a team has every right to walk off. However, Mohun Bagan played out the stoppage time in the first-half.