In an unprecedented decision, Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) yesterday slapped suspensions of various tenures on 14 players and 10 officials, including veteran Mohammedan player Rasel Mahmud Jimmy and Mohammedan manager Ariful Haque Prince, following a meeting of the governing body on Saturday.

The BHF also slapped fines on a number of clubs after disciplinary committee's decisions on the recently concluded Dhaka Premier Division Hockey League were forwarded to the governing body by the league committee.

The suspensions on players ranged from two matches to 12 matches while the suspensions on officials ranged from a couple of matches to lifetime bans. Some of the suspended players and officials were also foreigners who came here to play or coach the sides in the 11-team league.

Meanwhile, Abahani and Mariner Youngs Club were declared joint champions of the league, which saw chaos on April 19 after Mohammedan had refused to complete the last match against Abahani following brawl between the two teams over a decision by a foreign referee.

Both Abahani and Mariners had ended on top with 37 points each, and even though the federation had repeatedly asked the clubs to engage in a playoff, neither were willing, citing shortage of time.

BHF's general secretary Mominul Haque and vice-president Abdur Rashid Shikdar read out the decisions to reporters following the meeting, which was attended by 27 out of 29 members.

"Both clubs had asked for two months' time because they had visa/NOC issues to sort out for foreign players," Sayeed told reporters. "However, we couldn't allow that much time since we had to start the first division and the second division leagues."

The suspensions on players and officials, meanwhile, were based mostly on referees' match reports of disciplinary issues on individual matches of the league, with Mohammedan's Jimmy – one of the most high-profile-yet-divisive players in the country's history – receiving the toughest suspension of 12 matches.

"Jimmy had stopped play 173 times for a duration of 216 minutes in 14 matches, which does not bode well for a player of 19-year-international career. He also cussed on an opposition player, which stunned the umpire, who reported this incident to Asian Hockey Federation," Mominul said, explaining Jimmy's lengthy ban.

Among the officials, Mohammedan manager Ariful Haque Prince was suspended from club activities for four years while Mohammedan's adviser coach Gobinathan Krishnamurthy – a former coach of the Bangladesh national team -- was handed a lifetime ban from Bangladesh hockey.

"What Gobinathan told various media was disparaging to Bangladesh hockey and Bangladesh as a whole. He has no right to criticise BHF and Bangladesh the way he did and it was unbecoming of an international coach, which is why we gave him the lifetime ban," Mominul said, adding that every club or individual who have been handed punishment will have the right to appeal.