New Delhi: The two Calcutta majors — Mohun Bagan and East Bengal — were forced on to the back foot by the executive committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday.

The committee, which met at the Football House, recommended stringent action against the two clubs if they fail to release footballers for the national camp beginning in Dubai on June 25.

The executive committee also decided to refer the matter to the disciplinary committee if the clubs go ahead with their initial plan of not paying the footballers for the period they are with the camp.

Mohun Bagan also invited criticism from the committee for offering financial incentive to Mohammedan Sporting to win the crucial I-League match against Churchill Brothers. A strong letter of warning will be issued to the green and maroon brigade.

The clubs, however, have been granted the right to recruit one extra foreigner for the I-League under the new three plus one rule of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

As per the new rule, clubs now can recruit four foreigners but one of them has to be from an AFC affiliated nation and that includes Australia.

In what might be a significant development, Praful Patel, the president-in-charge of the AIFF, is believed to have accepted general secretary Alberto Colaco’s request that he be relieved of his duites. Patel, however, has asked Colaco to continue till a new general secretary is appointed.