“Please don’t let this be the final whistle for Jamshedpur FC,” the defender Pratik Chaudhari said, looking into the camera as teammates looked on disconsolately. “We would like to say on behalf of all the players, please do rethink about this. Because if this happens, this is not just a loss for Indian football … this is a big loss for all of India.”
In addition, fans of the Indian Super League club marched in protest, petitions were launched, and the Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri said it was a “punch to the gut” and joined others in begging for a rethink.
