SAFF Championship: India head coach Igor Stimac to serve one-match ban for red-card against Pakistan

After serving a one-match suspension for his red-card transgression against Pakistan in the host team's SAFF Championships opener in Bengaluru, head coach Igor Stimac will rejoin the India coaching staff for the match against Kuwait on Tuesday.

Anwarul Huq, general secretary of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), told PTI that Stimac's offence was not severe enough to warrant a suspension of more than one game, and as a result, it will not be forwarded to the SAFF Disciplinary Committee for further punishment.

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"He (Stimac) will serve a one-match ban, not more than that," he said from Dhaka on Thursday.

Huq added that although the referee and match commissioner's report highlighted the altercation that resulted in Stimac being removed off the pitch, it would not be forwarded to the SAFF Disciplinary Committee.

"It (the offence) was not so serious that it would merit referring the matter to the Disciplinary Committee (for a harsher punishment)," he noted.

Abdullah Iqbal of Pakistan was about to make a throw-in when Stimac, a very skilled coach and 1998 World Cup bronze medalist for Croatia, interjected. Some Pakistani players and coaching staff reacted angrily as he attempted to take the ball away from the player.

To separate the fiercely sparring parties, the match officials, including the referee Prajwal Chhetri, had to step in.

As the altercation was put under control, referee Chhetri penalised Stimac for willfully interfering with an opponent's play by issuing him a red card.

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Mahesh Gawli, a former India defender, filled in for Stimac on the touchline for the remainder of the game as Stimac was unable to stand on the sidelines.

Prior to Stimac's return for the final group game against Kuwait, Gawli will also assume control of the Indian team against Nepal on Saturday.

A player or coach will typically be suspended for one match after receiving a red card (direct or indirect), but if the offence is serious, the suspension can be raised to four matches.