Sabina and teammates defy BFF President’s plea, boycott training continues
Meanwhile, Butler conducted training with the remaining 12 senior players and members of the under-20 squad.
The crisis in Bangladesh women's football shows no signs of resolution as 18 players continue to boycott training under head coach Peter Butler.
Despite repeated assurances from Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Tabith Awal, the players remain firm in their stance.
After returning to the country on 5 February, Tabith met with the women's team to address their grievances and pledged to ensure their dignity and respect.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
He urged them to resume training on 8 February, but his request was ignored, with none of the 18 boycotting players showing up.
BFF officials had anticipated that at least a few of the protesting players might reconsider following the president's assurances.
However, the collective decision to stay away reinforced their unity. Meanwhile, Butler conducted training with the remaining 12 senior players and members of the under-20 squad.
The dispute began during the SAFF Women's Championship in Nepal last October, when some senior players accused Butler of favouring younger players and disregarding the experienced members of the squad.
Following their victorious campaign, one senior player publicly stated that she would refuse to train under Butler. However, BFF extended the British coach's contract, intensifying the conflict.
On 29 January, the 18 protesting players submitted a formal letter to BFF president Tabith Awal, accusing Butler of misconduct. The issue became public the following day, prompting BFF to form a seven-member investigative committee.
The committee's report, submitted on 6 February, highlighted disciplinary breaches on both sides—by the coach and the players. However, it appeared to downplay Butler's actions while focusing more on the players' conduct.
As a consequence, BFF has reportedly decided to penalise four or five players seen as leaders of the protest. There are also suggestions that Sabina Khatun, captain of the national team, could be removed from her role.
Nevertheless, the protesting players remain resolute, having already decided to boycott training and leave the camp if necessary.
The federation's stance in favour of Butler has created a significant dilemma. With 16 of the 18 protesting players being part of the SAFF-winning squad, their absence could deal a major blow to the national team.
Even the intervention of the Directorate of Sports (DG), which issued directives on discipline, has failed to sway the players.
Three BKSP students remain aligned with Sabina and her group, while Japanese-origin footballer Sumaiya has defied her guardian's request to distance herself from the protest.
