SFA Takes stand against violence in football

The Sikkim Football Association (SFA) has imposed a two-match ban on Brotherhood FC following an incident involving the manhandling of match officials during the ongoing 2024-2025 SFA “A” Division S-League. The decision was made during an urgent meeting chaired by SFA General Secretary Phurba Sherpa on Tuesday.

The altercation took place after Brotherhood FC’s 3-0 victory over Sikkim Boys FC. According to reports, Brotherhood FC players, led by the coach and assistant coach, confronted the centre referee from Assam, who left the field in tears, visibly distressed. Despite police presence, tensions escalated as team members continued to argue with match officials.

This isn’t the first instance of such misconduct. Earlier in the season, Sikkim referees were similarly targeted, despite written commitments from clubs to uphold sportsmanship. In response to the ongoing issues, SFA has banned Brotherhood FC from their next two matches against Sang Mustang and Gangtok Himalayan. The S-League’s continuation will depend on securing referees from Kolkata and ensuring ground availability.