Is Anwar Ali Eligible to Play East Bengal's ISL 2024-25 Opener vs Bengaluru FC After Delhi High Court's Stay Order?

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In a dramatic turn of events, Indian defender Anwar Ali has challenged his suspension by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in the Delhi High Court, which has now stayed his suspension. This development opens the door for Anwar Ali to be part of the starting lineup as soon as Saturday.

Anwar Ali had approached the Delhi High Court after the AIFF's Players' Status Committee handed him a suspension. During the hearing, the court ordered a stay on the suspension, thus allowing him to potentially return to the field. The court also directed the AIFF to revisit the matter.

However, it remains to be seen if East Bengal coach Carles Cuadrat will include the controversial defender in the squad this late or not. Amid the controversy, Anwar has continued training with the team. Given the court's ruling, East Bengal head coach Carles Cuadrat may have the chance to include Anwar Ali in the starting eleven for Saturday's match, if the final decision goes in their favour.

Meanwhile, The AIFF's legal team admitted in court that the allegations against Anwar Ali were not provided in writing. In response, the court raised concerns about how such a decision could be made without documented reasons. Delhi FC's owner, Ranjit Bajaj, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to confirm the court's decision, although East Bengal stated that they had not yet received official documents regarding the stay order.

Earlier this week, the AIFF had announced that Anwar Ali was suspended for four months due to a breach of his loan contract with Mohun Bagan. The federation also imposed a hefty ₹12.9 crore fine on Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Delhi FC. Additionally, East Bengal and Delhi FC were barred from signing any new players in the next two transfer windows.

Following the suspension, Anwar, along with East Bengal and Delhi FC, filed petitions in the Delhi High Court. With the suspension now temporarily lifted, Anwar's path to participate in the Indian Super League (ISL) is clear, provided the stay order is upheld.