Maldives ruled out too
Maldives ruled out too
BFF keeps everyone guessing
Maldives are the latest team, after Laos and Pakistan, to be ruled out of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup, which is set to take place from January 16 to 27. The decision has now left the BFF in an odd circumstance as they now have to sweat over finding a sixth participant for the competition real soon.
The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) yesterday informed the BFF that they would not be able to participate in the tournament due to internal issues of their association, confirmed a BFF official. The BFF invited Maldives as Pakistan's replacement a few days ago.
Initially proposed as an eight-nation tournament, the competition had to be trimmed down to a six-team affair, due to budget constraints. While Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Bahrain U-23 have 'verbally' confirmed their participation, BFF is yet to confirm their sixth participant. Names such as Qatar and Laos had propped up at the BFF House before being set aside as the football's governing body is reportedly concentrating on 'lesser opponents'. Nepal and Myanmar are the latest names to have surfaced, although an official confirmation is yet to be made.
The format has also been subject to changes. Originally proposed to be held in two groups simultaneously in Dhaka and Sylhet, the latest move makes it a complicated one where matches of both groups will be played in both venues chronologically, purportedly to meet the demand of the broadcasters, even at the cost of increased expenditure and hectic travelling schedules for the teams.
With only 24 days remaining for the showpiece event to start, the two venues – the Bangabandhu National Stadium and the Sylhet District Stadium, are in dire need of renovation work. The National Sports Council yesterday started its groundwork for the renovations, about a month after being urged by the BFF.
Whether there will be any more changes with regards to the format and the participants and whether the venues will be up to the mark in time for the grand event is a question making rounds in the football quarters.