ISL | AIFF disciplinary committee changes Aiban’s red card to yellow after KBFC’s appeal

Aiban Dohling.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

The national football body AIFF’s Disciplinary Committee has changed Kerala Blasters’ defender Aiban Dohling’s red card to yellow after reviewing video evidence of the Kochi-based team’s Indian Super League match against Punjab FC held in New Delhi on January 5.

“The committee, after a thorough review, concluded that there was neither intentional serious foul play nor violent conduct on Aiban’s part. Consequently, the red card issued has been rescinded and replaced with a caution (yellow card) following the club’s appeal,” said Blasters in a statement on Friday.

Aiban was given the marching orders after a messy collision with Punjab forward Leon Augustine in the 72nd minute in Blasters’ last match. That reduced KBFC to nine men (defender Milos Drincic had been sent off earlier with a second yellow in the 58th minute) but the Kerala side, now managed by interim head coach T.G. Purushothaman, still went on to win the match 1-0.

The decision now makes Aiban eligible to play in the upcoming match against Odisha FC in Kochi on Monday.