Fifa upholds ban on Arambagh KS footballers

Allegations of spot fixing, betting against Arambagh Krira Sangha in the Bangladesh Premier League football were proved in August last year. The disciplinary committee of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) punished the footballers and officials of the club involved with the misconduct. 

Ex-president of the club Minhazul Islam, former team manager Gauhar Jahangir Rusho, former Indian fitness trainer Maidul Islam and former team manager Arif Hossain were banned for life. Some other footballers were also given punishment of different terms. The Fifa, the highest global governing body of football, has upheld the punishment given by the BFF.

BFF informed the Fifa of the punishment in August last year and appealed to ban the footballers and officials from all football activities. The Fifa, after considering everything, upheld the punishment. 

Fifa handed former physio of the club Sanjay Bose (Indian citizen) and game analyst Azizul Sheikh for ten years. Apart from that, footballers Apel Mahmud, Abul Kashem, Al-Amin, Mohammad Rocky, Jahid Hossain, Kazi Rahad Mia, Mostafizur Rahman, Omar Faruk, Rakibul Islam, Mehedi Hasan and Miraz Molla have been banned from international football for a year.

Arambagh's Nigerian recruit Christopher Chizoba has been handed a two-year ban. Australia's Brady Smith and Bangladesh's Shamim Reza have been banned from all football for three years.

Arambagh KS were relegated to the second tier (first division) championship last season. But as the allegations were proved, they cannot participate in the tournament. That means they have to play in the first division for two years and won't be promoted during this period. The Fifa, though, did not make any decision regarding their participation in domestic football.