Mamunul and Sohel’s suspension lifted

The national teams committee of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) yesterday lifted the suspensions on Mamunul Islam and Sohel Rana from the national football team after the midfielders sought exemption from their ban.

The game's governing body on March suspended four national players, Mamunul Islam, Zahid Hossain, Sohel Rana and Yeasin Khan for different periods on disciplinary grounds. Mamun and Zahid were handed one-year bans while Sohel and Yeasin were given six-month bans.

"As they sought forgiveness for their deeds and apologised, we lifted their suspension. They will now be called for the national team's camp and they will represent Bangladesh if they can prove themselves," said BFF senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshey at the BFF House on Thursday.

Murshedy also explained the reasons behind the suspension.

"We actually could not produce good results in the last three tournaments. That is why we have reappointed former coach (Lodewijk de Kruif) and considering the players' appeals for the aim to do better in the next two matches (of the Asian Cup Qualifiers play-offs against Tajikistan)," said Murshedy.

Meanwhile, Sohel and Yeasin have not appealed yet to have their suspensions lifted.

On March 2, 2016, The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) suspended four national team players for various terms for disciplinary breaches.

Captain Mamunul and winger Zahid Hossain have been given one-year suspension while defenders Yeasin Khan and midfielder Sohel Rana have been handed six-month suspension each from the national team, according to the 'BFF Code of Conduct for players of the national team'.

The decisions were made by the National Teams Committee, based on the report of a three-member subcommittee which questioned the alleged players on the basis of disciplinary allegations.

The allegations were brought by a separate fact-finding committee formed to investigate the failure of the team in last year's SAFF Suzuki Cup and this year's Bangabandhu Gold Cup.