New Radiant sign Sri Lankan goalkeeper on special permission

New Radiant have brought in Sri Lankan goalkeeper Kavish Lakpriya Fernando on special permission after Pakistan’s Saqib Haneef was sidelined with a fractured arm.

Saqib recently underwent surgery at Treetop Hospital for the injury, and his return date has yet to be confirmed.

Football Association of Maldives (FAM) granted permission to sign a new goalkeeper outside the transfer window after reviewing Saqib’s medical reports.

FIFA regulations allow clubs to register a replacement on an emergency basis if a goalkeeper is injured and expected to be out for an extended period.

In the past, Victory SC made similar emergency signings, including Turkish goalkeeper Levant Vanly after Mohamed Faisal was injured, and Sri Lankan goalkeeper Sujan Perera following the arrest of Ibrahim Laban Shareef.

Fernando made his debut in New Radiant’s 1-0 defeat to Odi Sports Club in the Dhivehi Premier League this week. Previously, he played for Tent Sports in Sri Lanka’s second division and is currently Sri Lanka’s first-choice goalkeeper. He also scored in Sri Lanka’s 4-0 defeat to Thailand in the Asian Cup qualifiers last week.

Three other Sri Lankan goalkeepers have played for New Radiant in the past: Sujith Hemantha in the late 1980s, and Sadun Devinda and Sampoo Rohan in the 2000s. Sadun notably attracted interest from several top Asian clubs following his performances in the 2005 AFC Cup.