Kolkata: Some players of Kolkata football giants East Bengal have been asked to ‘vacate flats’ provided by sponsors Quess Corp. Among them are foreign recruits, and East Bengal club’s physical trainer Carlos Nodar.
Most of East Bengal’s foreign players have left home in the first week of May. However, a few are still here along with the Spaniard Nodar who had preferred to stay back.
Players shocked
“This is the worst thing to happen. Where will we go now especially when there’s nationwide lockdown in force,” a player said. “There is no way we can vacate at this point of time but the management is just ignoring our calls. Let’s wait and watch,” he added.
The Bangalore-based ‘Quess Corp’ group is exiting the club May 31. It had last month activated the force majeure clause, citing COVID-19 pandemic, to terminate all the contracts with effect from May 1. The players had approached the Football Players’ Association of India.
No top official from the Quess Corp was available for a reaction. The East Bengal players said they have received a message from the ‘QEBFC admin team’ which has circulated the message.
Message from Quess
“As per notification from the owners of the residential accommodations in Rosedale, Uniworld and other residences, we will be handing over the apartments to the respective owners by 25th May, 2020,” read the message purportedly sent by Quess management.
“From 18th May 2020, we will start to clean, repair and sanitise all the vacated apartments. Those who have personal belongings lying in the apartments please try and collect it by 20th May, 2020. QEBFC (Quess East Bengal Football Club) will not be responsible for any loss of your personal belongings which are in your respective apartments,” the message further said.
PTI