After the soccer veterans, star striker Baichung Bhutia came to the defence of banned East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick, terming the punishment handed out by the Indian Football Association as "too harsh".

Citing the instance of English footballer Rio Ferdinand, who was suspended for eight months after refusing to appear for a dope test, Bhutia said "what great offence has our coach committed so as to be handed out a two-year ban?"

"He has only uttered a few words...The IFA has not taken a right decision on the issue. The punishment has been too harsh," the East Bengal attack spearhead said.

The IFA had on January 29 slapped a two-year ban on Bhowmick for allegedly insulting the parent body with derogatory remarks.

Bhutia, who had earlier also raised voice against the apex soccer body in West Bengal, blamed the club officials, particularly those of rival outfit Mohun Bagan for allegedly harassing the players.

Expressing his sympathy for Bagan's Brazilian striker Jose Barreto, who left the club midway through the National Football League, Bhutia said "it has been a common practice for the Bagan officials not to pay the full amount to the players.

"They even try to punish the players to hide their own misdeeds of not paying their due amounts. That's what  happened in the case of Barreto," Bhutia, who himself was yet to get Rs 20 lakh from Bagan for his services last season, said.