FIFA Slaps Second Transfer Ban on Mohammedan Sporting Over Unpaid Dues

Kolkata football giants Mohammedan Sporting have been hit with a second transfer ban by FIFA within a week, following their failure to pay dues owed to former midfielder Alexis Nahuel Gomez. The Argentine, who played a pivotal role in the club’s historic I-League win and subsequent promotion to the Indian Super League, is the latest name in a growing financial crisis plaguing the club.

In an official communication dated July 7, FIFA confirmed the imposition of a fresh transfer ban. “We wish to inform the parties that a ban from registering new players internationally and nationally has been implemented by FIFA on the Respondent,” the global governing body wrote. The ban will remain active until the club clears the pending amount owed to Gomez and could last for “a maximum duration of up to three entire and consecutive registration periods.”

Gomez, who joined the Black Panthers in 2023, scored four goals and assisted ten more during his two-season stint. He was instrumental in Mohammedan’s I-League triumph, a feat that saw them climb into the top-tier Indian Super League. The 25-year-old now plies his trade at Persijap Jepara in Indonesia’s Premier Division.

This latest development comes just days after FIFA issued a similar registration ban on July 3, relating to unpaid wages owed to Uzbek midfielder Mirjalol Kasimov, whose dues amount to approximately ₹40 lakh. The back-to-back sanctions have severely restricted Mohammedan Sporting’s ability to strengthen their squad ahead of the upcoming season.

Despite the mounting challenges, club executive committee member Belal Ahmed Khan appeared unfazed. “We revoked a previous ban from the AIFF for around ₹24 lakh a few weeks back. There is not a lot to worry about,” he was quoted as saying by Sportstar. “The total dues are for around four to five months, and we will pay them soon to get ourselves ready (for the next season).”

Kasimov, who joined Mohammedan after a spell at NEROCA FC, made 18 appearances in the ISL last season, scoring twice. While he contributed significantly to the club’s rise, the team finished at the bottom of the ISL table in what turned out to be a disappointing campaign.

The transfer bans are expected to severely hamper Mohammedan Sporting’s preparations for the Durand Cup, where they are set to face Diamond Harbour Football Club on July 28. The team began its domestic season with a 2-2 draw against Calcutta Police Club in the Calcutta Football League and will likely stick with this core squad heading into the Cup.

Manager Dipendu Biswas declined to comment on the transfer ban situation when contacted. But with time running out and FIFA’s sanctions looming, Mohammedan Sporting face an urgent need to resolve their financial obligations or risk a stalled momentum just as they were finding their feet in India’s top football tier.