Un-suspended FC Goa co-owners are still selling their stakes in the franchise

SRINIVAS DEMPO and Dattaraj Salgaocar, the two FC Goa co-owners who had their suspension from ISL revoled by the Appeals Panel, have said that they are selling their stakes in the franchise nonetheless.

The two were suspended by the ISL Regulatory Committee after their involvement with Chennaiyin FC player Elano Blumer in a brawl on the night of the ISL 2015 final, followed by the FC Goa team's boycott of the prize distribution ceremony.

The two businessmen from Goa own 65% of stakes in the Fatorda-based team; and their shares are likely to go to the Delta Corp, who operate multiple offshore casinos in the state. The rest of the shares will remain with Videocon and cricketer Virat Kohli.

Srinivas Dempo, who is a vice president of AIFF, has had a long association with Indian football. He also owns an I-League club, Dempo SC, which has been contemplating an exit from the top division national league along with Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa, the two other big clubs from the state. It's unclear that now that Mr Dempo has parted with FC Goa whether he will change his mind about pulling Dempo SC from I-League or not.