Mohun Bagan: Director Vijay Mallya hands over to son

United Breweries Group chairman Dr. Vijay Mallya has resigned as the Director of the company United Mohun Bagan Football Team plc, the company which was created by Mohun Bagan Athletic Club and the UB Group to run the affairs of the football club. The reason of the resignation is the fact that Dr. Mallya was director and chairman of both Kolkata clubs - McDowell's Mohun Bagan & Kingfisher East Bengal - which are 50% owned by the UB Group, which is against the regulations of the Asian Football Confederation's Club Licencing Criteria.

With Dr. Mallya steping down his son Sidhartha V. Mallya has joined the board of United Mohun Bagan Football Team plc as an Additional Director of the company. With this step both clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal think they fulfill the AFC criteria.

A press release from Mohun Bagan today reads, "Dr. Vijay Mallya has resigned from his post as a Director and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of United Mohun Bagan Football Team Pvt. Ltd. His resignation has been accepted with deep regret by the Board of Directors of the Company in a meeting held on 16th December 2010 at Kolkata. Mr. Sidhartha V. Mallya has been appointed as an Additional Director of the Company."

If the clubs now are conform as per club licencing regulations will have to be seen. The UB Group through two different companies are stake holders in the two Kolkata giants, but still as such as per my knowledge they are owned by the same entity. The clubs are sponsored and owned by McDowell and Kingfisher two brands under the United Breweries Group umbrella, which are owned by the Mallya's.

The clubs have met the AFC deadline of club ownership of December 24, but if the issue as such is solved will have to be seen. My hope is in the interest of the fans of both clubs that the officials have checked that replacing a director will be enough or if different owners will have to come in for the two clubs.