With no doctors in the field, Elite Division match called off midway

by Siddharth Yadav October 24, 2017

23rd October 2017, Mumbai: The ongoing MDFA – Mumbai District Football Association Elite Division campaign has been some of the exciting matches so far, but earlier today due to strange circumstances, a game had to be abandoned midway into the first-half.

PIFA Sports were scheduled to play newly-promoted side Century Rayon at Cooperage in the evening. With Rayon playing their third match of the campaign, it was PIFA’s first match of the Elite Division campaign as they were looking to kick-start their season on a positive note.

PIFA started just like they wished as the boys in orange dominated the match proceedings with superiority. Midway into the first-half, Sushant Jadhav’s corner saw PIFA’s Venky and Rayon’s defender collide with each other while going for the ball which ultimately led to a head injury. The game had to be stopped due to the treatment of the involved players. Fortunately, the incident wasn’t a major one.

As the match resumed, PIFA broke the deadlock with a sublime goal by Venky after a wonderful build-up. Minutes after PIFA scored, the game was once again stopped by the officials as the doctor had to leave the venue midway, leaving no doctor on the field.

Given the injury earlier in the match, the officials decided to abandon the game after confronting both the coaches as it could further prove fatal in the absence of the doctor. One of the match officials said, “The match has been abandoned and will be played later.”

PIFA’s Head Nirvan Shah also commented on this incident, saying “The referees have done a good job in the interest of the players by not taking a risk. The 2nd ambulance and doctor had to leave due to an emergency in the vicinity. Saving a life is always a priority than this match which can be postponed.”