Former Addl. Solicitor General made arbitrator on Bhutia issue

New Delhi: Senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General of India Amarendra Sharan was today appointed as the arbitrator to decide on the suspension dispute between Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia and Mohun Bagan. All India Football Federation Acting President Praful Patel made the appointment in accordance with the decision taken by the Executive Committee on August 31. Bhutia was suspended for six months without pay by Mohun Bagan in June for missing team training and an exhibition match. He made an appeal to the Indian Football Association (West Bengal body) but later the AIFF took up the matter. The national body`s Players` Status Committee, however, failed to decide on the matter as one member refused to give his opinion. The AIFF then asked its outgoing General Secretary Alberto Colaco to mediate between Mohun Bagan and Bhutia. After Colaco could not find a solution, the AIFF Executive Committee decided to refer the matter to an arbitrator. "Both Mohun Bagan and Bhutia took a very firm view that they were right on the issue, so we cannot take a ruling. We will seek a legal solution now. We have decided to refer the matter to an arbitrator. The matter will be resolved in a week`s time," Patel had said after the executive meeting. Bureau Report