20 September,2022 09:21 AM IST | Kolkata | PTI
Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri (second from left) with West Bengal Governor La Ganeshan (third from right) at the Durand Cup presentation in Kolkata on Sunday. Pic/PTI
Two months into his stint as West Bengal governor, La Ganesan copped national criticism for pushing Indian football talisman Sunil Chhetri, in order to get clicked during the Durand Cup prize distribution ceremony here.
The 38-year-old Indian captain added an elusive Durand Cup title to his illustrious career when he led Bengaluru FC to their maiden crown in Asia's oldest football tournament following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over their Indian Super League rivals Mumbai City FC at the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday.
Also Read: Durand Cup 2022: Bengaluru FC, Mumbai City FC eye maiden title
But the prize distribution ceremony turned controversial when Chhetri was being pushed by Ganesan while the trophy was being handed over to the player in the presence of state sports minister Aroop Biswas.
Realising that he's not in the "photo frame", Ganesan pushed Chettri and the player obliged. There has been no response yet from the champions Bengaluru FC or the governor's office, but the incident was widely slammed on various social media platforms.
"Disgraceful," wrote former India opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra wrote on his Twitter handle. "Five seconds that show you everything that's wrong with Indian sport. It seems that they won the Durand Cup, not Sunil Chhetri and Bengaluru FC!," wrote Joy Bhattacharja, a former Kolkata Knight Riders team director.
Also Read: Intense clash expected between Bengaluru FC and Odisha FC in second QF
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