New Delhi [India], August 20 (ANI): The All India Football Federation (AIFF) issued an official statement on Tuesday addressing reports regarding defender Subhasish Bose's injury status, clarifying that the player did not suffer any injury during India's AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round match against Bangladesh on March 25 in Shillong.

'The safety and well-being of its players is the top priority of the All India Football Federation,' the AIFF said in a statement released on its social media handles.

Refuting rumours, the federation explained, 'With regards to certain media reports, the AIFF would like to categorically state that Subhasish Bose did not suffer any injury during the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round match against Bangladesh... He played 85 minutes in that match and was substituted purely as a tactical decision, not due to injury.'

The statement further clarified Bose's participation in the Indian Super League (ISL) playoffs, highlighting that he played the full duration of both legs of the semi-finals on April 3 and 7 and completed 90 minutes in the ISL final on April 12, before being substituted.

According to AIFF, Bose joined the national camp on May 18, and reported discomfort after a couple of training sessions. Following further medical assessment, it was revealed that he had sustained an injury during the ISL final but had not undergone rehabilitation during his lay-off of over a month.

Significantly, the federation noted that Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Bose's club, had not informed the national team's medical staff about the injury prior to his arrival at the camp.

AIFF urged all stakeholders and media outlets to avoid speculation and rely solely on verified information.

'We urge all stakeholders and media houses to refrain from misinformed speculation and rely on verified updates from official channels and sources,' the statement concluded. (ANI)