Title: Pre-Match Bonus Disbursement by Esteghlal Club Management Draws Scrutiny
Article:
A Contentious Reward
In an unusual move just moments before their Week 2 match against Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan, the management of Esteghlal Football Club disbursed a victory bonus to players for their win in the league’s opening week. The decision to distribute the financial reward in the locker room immediately prior to kickoff has been described as an unorthodox and poorly timed administrative action.
Timing and Team Reaction
According to reports, club officials entered the locker room in Shahre Qods and presented players with a collective bonus of 15 million Tomans for their previous victory against Tractor FC. The move was met with surprise and discontent from the squad, who found the timing and setting of the payment to be disruptive to their pre-match focus. The team’s head coach, Sa Pinto, was not present in the locker room due to a suspension, preventing any potential objection from the technical staff.
A Breach of Protocol
The payment of performance bonuses is a standard practice in professional sports; however, it is highly irregular for such disbursements to occur immediately before a match. This breach of standard pre-game protocol is seen by many observers as an administrative misstep that could potentially impact player concentration. The bonus amount itself for a significant away victory was also noted by some as being unexpectedly low for a club of Esteghlal’s stature.
Additional Payments Noted
In a further detail, separate bonuses totaling 5 million Tomans were also distributed to members of the medical, executive, and logistics staff. This broader distribution acknowledged the contributions of the entire team apparatus behind the first-week victory.
The incident highlights the complex interplay between club administration and team morale, underscoring the importance of procedural professionalism in managing a top-tier sports organization.