At the AFC Asian Cup qualifying match between India and Afghanistan at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, the protest to remove the prefix ATK from the Indian Super League club ATK Mohun Bagan was felt once again
A group of unhappy Mohun Bagan supporters erected a large tifo with the words “Remove ATK and give us our Mohun Bagan back,” something they have been requesting for a long time.
Remove ATK From Mohun Bagan Campaign Meaning As Banners Come Up During India vs Afghanistan AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2023
Mariners have taken the #RemoveATK protest to International stage again ! ..
You may agree, may not agree about the timing but you have to agree with the content !!..#RemoveATK because #ATKMBisnotmyclub ..
And, Go Go @IndianFootball !! pic.twitter.com/bSy1qcwqzj
— The Mariners' (@MohunBaganFans) June 11, 2022
The tifo was displayed for over a minute and a half at the start of the competition before being immediately rolled up.
This isn’t the first time that supporters have protested during a game. AFC Cup 2022 group stage match last month produced similar scenes. Aside from that, fans have frequently flocked to the streets to demand the same thing.
Mohun Bagan was formed in 1889 and has a reputation for being one of the most popular clubs not just in West Bengal, but also throughout India. However, there have been a few causes of contention following their merger with ATK in January 2020.
Meanwhile, India is aiming for a positive outcome against Hong Kong after defeating Afghanistan 2-1 earlier in the game. They are in Group D with Hong Kong, who are presently on top of the table with six points following three wins in a row.
The team had overcome Afghanistan 2-1 in their first qualification encounter before cruising to a 3-0 victory over Cambodia earlier in the evening.
ATK Mohun Bagan will be renamed RPSG Mohun Bagan and will no longer be known as ATK Mohun Bagan.
According to rumours, the club’s executives are finally ready to rename the club RPSG Mohun Bagan and eliminate the ATK moniker. The practice of putting the sponsor’s name before the club’s name is typical in this country, so fans will be relieved to be able to proudly refer to their favourite club like Mohun Bagan once more.
ATK’s return as a separate entity is also desired by several Indian football enthusiasts. Despite being dissolved before last season, they are still the most successful club in ISL history. The more clubs in the league, the better the league will be for Indian football.
If Mohun Bagan and ATK play individually instead of merging, it will be extremely beneficial to Indian football. The Mariners will be pleased, and the ISL will regain its most successful club. However, it is extremely unlikely to occur. As of today, Mariners would be delighted to learn about the potential of reclaiming their name.
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