East Bengal lift ban on media

Kolkata, Jan 22 : Eleven days after barring the media from attending practice sessions and interacting with coaches and players, Indian football giants East Bengal Thursday lifted the ban.

"Henceforth our training sessions at the club ground would be open to media (including photo journalists) for the first 15 minutes after which they would have to leave the training area. Head coach/assistant coach would interact with the media twice a week (Tuesday and Friday)," said a club release.

The release also stated that from now on the head coach and the captain would interact with the media in pre and post match conferences for the I-League and AFC Cup matches.

"In addition head coach along with captain/starting player would interact with the media in pre-match press conference to be held a day earlier to every I-League/AFC Cup match and the head coach will attend the post-match conference after every match of the I-League/AFC Cup," the release added.

The ban came following a dismal Federation Cup tournament for the 'red and gold’ brigade after which the East Bengal management accused a section of the media of working against the club's interest with a "personal agenda".

"We are all for friendly and healthy relations with the media. But why write things which are harming the reputation of this age-old institution," East Bengal assistant general secretary Shanti Ranjan Dasgupta had told IANS Dec 11.