PANAJI: Sporting Clube de Goa team president, Mr Peter Vaz has launched a verbal attack on Shillong Lajong owner, Mr Larsing Sawyan, accusing him of influencing match officials in an I-League match against them in Shillong.

In a strongly-worded letter to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Mr Vaz has sought to know what action has been taken against Mr Sawyan for sitting in the technical area during the match despite not having registered for the same.
Sporting believes that with Mr Larsing on the bench, and given that he is part of the AIFF Executive Committee, the AFC Ad-Hoc Committee for Indian Football and several more, he was in the position to influence the referees, the letter said.
Mr Larsing, secretary of Meghalaya Football Association (MFA), was seen with the match officials before the game against Sporting in Shillong.
Branding the I-League as a “close affair”, Sporting has raised the issue of disparity between Shillong Lajong’s home and away record and claimed that it’s the influence of the owner which caused the difference along with the watering of the field at half time.
The Goa club has also asked AIFF to conduct an inquiry into the I-League’s affairs.
The letter alleged Sporting was being “victimised” and there was a move to finish off the team.
“The referees were also unfair while officiating matches as a result we are suffering now,” Mr Vaz stated.
Sporting need to win their last I-League match against Chirag United on May 28 in Kolkata and expect a couple of other results going in their favour in order to survive in the top division next season. The final round of I-League begins on Thursday.