Footballers accused of molestation backed by aphrodisiac maker

PANAJI - The Churchill Brothers football team, offloaded from a Kolkata-bound flight in Mumbai after three of its players allegedly molested an airhostess, is sponsored by a sex aphrodisiac manufacturer.

One of the top football clubs in the country, Churchill Brothers had signed a

three-year deal in September last year, with Kunnath pharmaceuticals, manufacturer of Musli Power Xtra, an ayurvedic aphrodisiac “formulated from safed musli, widely known as Indian herbal aphrodisiac, which is a complete solution for sexual problems”, according to the manufacturer’s website.

The club has been officially christened Musli Power - Churchill Brothers since September, with the players wearing co-branded jerseys ever since the reportedly

Rs.9 crore (Rs.90 million) endorsement deal was signed.

Three of the club’s top players, including star striker Odafa Okolie from Nigeria, were Tuesday accused by an air hostess on board the Spice Jet flight of molestation.

Following the complaint, the entire 23-member team, which was en-route Kolkata to play an I-league game with West Bengal giants Mohun Bagan, was offloaded at the Mumbai airport and criminal charges filed against the three accused.

The team is owned and managed by Goa Public Works Minister Churchill Alemao’s family.

Joaquim Alemao, Churchill Alemao’s brother and president of the Goa-based football club, told IANS Wednesday that there was no chance of the endorsement deal being called off.

“There is no talk like this. I have not heard anything. When there is no misconduct, where is the chance of endorsements being dropped,” Joaquim, also a cabinet minister in the Goa government, said.