The I-League season concluded in April but the players of the Pune-based side DSK Shivajians are yet to get their salaries. There are also doubts over the side’s participation in the next season due to their owners’ ongoing financial crisis.
The club owes over 10 players dues for about two to three months. The list includes some of the top names in the Shivajians’ roster such as goalkeeper Subrata Paul, Gourmangi Singh, Nirmal Chhetri, Holicharan Narzary, Sumeet Passi, Soram Poirei, playmaker Jerry Lalrinzuala, Milan Singh and Seityasen Singh, reported The New Indian Express.
Most of the aforementioned players have already moved on to other clubs after the Indian Super League draft held last week.
Some of the players have written to the All India Football Federation about not receiving their wages on time. The AIFF is expected to take up the issue with General Secretary Kushal Das saying he will hold with Shivajians owner Shirish Kulkarni, according to a report in Goal.com.
Earlier this year, the DSK conglomerate admitted that they were in a financial crisis, “We are going through bad times – things have been tough since my accident. Some people have been knocking at our doors for their money,” Kulkarni was quoted as saying by Pune Mirror.
However, the owners of Shivajians got a vote of confidence from goalkeeper Subrata Paul. “It’s not like they have have money and are not paying us. They are having some issues. I’m sure that once it is resolved, they will pay us. I have been working with them for two years and know them very well. I don’t think the club officials are the type of people who will cheat us,” Paul was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.
Speculations have also emerged stating that the club may not be a part of the next season. The I-League CEO had a cryptic answer when asked about the future of Shivajians. “We have not received anything in black or white,” Sunando Dhar told The New Indian Express. DSK Shivajians finished a modest seventh in the previous season.