Booters blamed in BFF probe report

A three-member probe committee headed by Harunur Rashid blamed the national footballers for the failure of the national team in the fifth SAFF Championship.
One of the favourites Bangladesh, winless in the regional competition, failed to make the semifinals after two draws and a defeat in Sri Lanka.
The investigation report was handed over yesterday to Bangla-desh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Salahuddin but both parties refused to comment.
"I received the report but have yet to open it. Give me two day's time to go through it," said Salahuddin.
"I think the BFF president should be the right person to tell about the report," said BFF member and ex-general secretary Harunur Rashid, who and his fellow committee members Sirajul Islam Bachchu and Anwarul Hoque Helal took the job on June 18.
"We have interviewed 11 persons and went through three written reports to come to a conclusion," added Harun.
The committee interviewed national team leader Shafiquzzaman, coach Abu Yusuf, manager Sheikh Mohammed Aslam, assistant coach Golam Rabbani Chhoton, physician Mahfuzullah Chishti, captain Aminul Haque, vice-captain Biplab Bhattachariya, striker ZAHID Hassan Emily, National Team Management Committee chairman Badal Roy and members Hasanuzzaman Babloo and Satyajit Das Rupu. The committee also considered reports by the team leader, manager and the coach.
However, it was learned that the eight-page report reveals that lack of commitment and grouping among senior and junior players, discontentment over captaincy never gave the team a chance to be united.
The team spirit was never there but none of the ten interviewees admitted that anyone had interfered in team selection over the coach, who had complained that he never had the freedom to run the show.