Sikkim: SFA imposes two-match ban on Brotherhood FC after referee manhandling incident
The meeting, led by SFA General Secretary Phurba Sherpa, focused on a particularly severe case involving Brotherhood FC and Sikkim Boys FC, where referees were allegedly manhandled by Brotherhood FC players and staff.
The Sikkim Football Association (SFA) held an urgent meeting today to address a series of troubling incidents during the ongoing 2024-2025 SFA "A" Division S-League. The meeting, led by SFA General Secretary Phurba Sherpa, focused on a particularly severe case involving Brotherhood FC and Sikkim Boys FC, where referees were allegedly manhandled by Brotherhood FC players and staff.
The incident occurred after Brotherhood FC's 3-0 victory over Sikkim Boys FC. Players, led by the team's coach and assistant coach, reportedly charged at the centre referee from Assam, who was emotionally distressed, leaving the field in tears. Despite the presence of police at the scene, tensions escalated and Brotherhood FC continued to argue with the officials.
This was not the first instance of such behavior. Earlier in the season, Sikkim referees faced similar aggression. Despite written assurances from clubs to uphold sportsmanship and respect match officials, the misconduct persisted.
In response, the SFA imposed a two-match ban on Brotherhood FC, affecting their upcoming games against Sang Mustang and Gangtok Himalayan. The league's resumption will depend on securing referees from Kolkata and ground availability.
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