Footballers and Organisers Slam Sultan

Footballers and organisers yesterday said they were embarrassed about Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president SA Sultan's abrasive remarks about Sports Adviser Tapan Chowdhury and the media.

"We never expected the chief of the football federation to attack the sports boss and media. We really feel ashamed for this as a part of the football fraternity," said former national football captain Badal Roy at a press briefing at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Ex-BFF general secretary Harunur Rashid, organisers Fazlur Rahman Babul, Nurul Alam Chowdhury, Shawkat Ali Jahangir and footballer Kaiser Hamid also spoke on the occasion.

The speakers also claimed that Sultan provided false information about the success of BFF in his last week's letter to the National Sports Council chairman.

"We are really confused whether SA Sultan has resigned or not," Badal said.

SA Sultan tendered his resignation to FIFA president Sepp Blatter on December 15 and submitted copies to NSC chairman and Army Chief Moeen U Ahmed and AFC president Mohammad Bin Hammam.

"The BFF knows nothing about his stepping down. Who will take responsibility after the void created following the resignation?" Badal questioned.

"The BFF high-ups are not even admitting about Sultan's resignation but they must take over in absence of the president. If they decline to take responsibility, they don't deserve to stay there," he added.

"We feel that Sultan had been maintaining double standard when he sent a letter to FIFA asking its permission to hold the BFF election under the 2003 constitution; because at the same time, he did not stop procedures of the forming the DFAs (district and divisional football associations)," said Harunur Rashid.

"Now we demand the BFF to officially stop the procedure of forming the DFAs," he added.

Sultan, after his meeting with the non-BFF officials and ex-footballers, had sent the letter to FIFA mentioning the difficulties of forming DFAs within the deadline given by the football's world governing body to BFF.

"We will go for tough movement if the BFF does not stop the process of forming the DFAs," Harun warned.