All India Football Federation has decided to impose a registration ban on Hero ISL club East Bengal FC, which will be effective from January 1, 2023. This ban means the Kolkata club can sign new players in the transfer window but they cannot register new players.

Ergo, any new signing for the club will be pointless until the ban is lifted by AIFF. The root cause of the ban goes back to 2020 when East Bengal decided to rope in Iranian footballer, Omid Singh. As per reports, Singh had put pen on paper on the final contract but East Bengal management declined the contract at the last minute.

As per FIFA rules, the player is entitled to full payment after signing the contract even if he doesn’t come to the country. However, East Bengal didn’t pay a single penny to the Iranian and thus AIFF has imposed a ban.

The press release is undersigned by the Secretary General of the AIFF, Dr Shaji Prabhakaraan. It said, “This circular is to notify all the Member Associations and the stakeholders of the All India Football Federation that a ban on registration of new players has been imposed on East Bengal FC, a club registered under the Indian Football Association and currently participating in the Hero Indian Super League.”

It continued, “The ban is effective from 1st January 2023 until further notice, as per the communication received from FIFA’s Player Status Department.”

Meanwhile, the Kolkata-based club has managed four wins and eight losses in the 12 matches they have played in the ongoing season of the Hero Indian Super League 2022-23.

They have a total of 12 points in the league and they are currently struggling at ninth place in the standings. Thus, it will be a difficult road ahead for the Red and Gold brigade as they can’t register new players.

East Bengal FC will next take on Jamshedpur FC on Friday at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata.