Anwar Ali for East Bengal (PC: East Bengal/X)While the Anwar Ali saga is all set to continue, the truth is that whatever the final outcome, no one really wins. Mohun Bagan might get Rupees 12.9 crores in compensation, but they have lost the best defender India has at the moment. East Bengal, while getting Anwar, will now have to spend 30-plus crores on the player for 5 years, which includes the 6.45 crores fine which the club has to pay. Also, the transfer ban will hurt them in January, and again before the start of the next season. Anwar, who is now banned, will miss the bulk of the Indian Super League (ISL) and also have to pay 6.45 crores as fine. Finally, Delhi FC has been strongly indicted for doing something unethical, and will also face a two-window transfer ban.
What the Players’ Status Committee (PSC) has tried to do is send out a strong message, that those under contract cannot do this. If they do, it hurts everyone. It is a message for every player who might feel aggrieved and resort to something like what Anwar did. Without the FIFA rules being implemented in India, Anwar was always on slippery ground. While he wanted to safeguard his future, the way he did so has resulted in this claim of unjust or illegal termination. It is also interesting that the ban was announced a day after the Intercontinental Cup finished, proving that All India Football Federation (AIFF) was clearly aware of what was going on and wanted the national team’s assignment to get over.
Three things come out of this. First, the verdict will be appealed. And it could well be that the ban’s timeline or the fine amount is reduced by the appeals committee or even the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). But the difficulty there is that there is no precedent for a case like this, and whoever rules on it will have to keep the PSC judgment in mind.
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Second, this will be the biggest challenge that Anwar has faced. He will miss most of the ISL and while he can train, it could well be that he isn’t at his best for India without much-needed match practice. Also, imagine the impact on his mental health. Not only does he have to pay a hefty fine, he will also have to deal with the mental trauma of the ban. For someone fit and raring to go, that will hurt the most.
Thirdly, East Bengal will have to recalibrate ahead of the ISL. Without Anwar, their defence will not be the best, and Carles Cuadrat will have to move to Plan B. While the financial penalty will hurt them badly, a weakened defence ahead of the ISL could just be a double whammy that East Bengal could have done without.
Finally, Mohun Bagan don’t win either. All said and done, they will not get the services of Anwar after he serves the ban, and that means they will continue to struggle with the centre-back issue. The team was made with Anwar in mind, and it is not an easy gap to fill.
In this entire saga, bitter and unsavoury, no one really wins. And if anything, Indian football loses out.
Whenever Anwar is back on the pitch, it will not be easy for him. While the Mohun Bagan fans will continue to go for him and label him a traitor, East Bengal supporters will continuously remind him of the price tag at the slightest mistake. How he deals with such pressure will perhaps define his career going ahead. In fact, from the perspective of an athlete’s mental health, Anwar is now a case study. Whether or not he manages to deal with this pressure will also determine how he shapes up for the national team going forward.
Also Read: Anwar Ali Banned: AIFF Rules in Favour of Mohun Bagan in Contract Dispute