- The NSL kicks off next weekend
- Several teams will be uninvolved due to a case at the Tribunal
- The league has been delayed by almost five months
The Football Kenya Federation’s competitions department has met with officials from clubs taking part in the second-tier FKF National Super League (NSL) ahead of the kick-off of the 2022/23 season.
Present at the meeting were FKF General Secretary/CEO Barry Otieno, Head of Leagues and Competitions Doreen Nabwire and Head of Integrity, Projects and National Teams, Mike Kamure.
The club officials were briefed on preparations for the start of the league this weekend, with a review of the fixtures forming part of the discussions.
CEO Barry Otieno also updated the officials on a pending matter at the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) which has seen some matches postponed up until the case is heard and determined.
Formalize all Transfers
Furthermore, the officials were implored to formalize all their transfers on the Kenya Connect Player Registration System, in line with World Governing Body FIFA’s requirements on player transfers.
Notably, the club officials were urged to ensure that their clubs preserved the integrity of the game. This involves resisting any attempts of match manipulation and reporting any suspected incidences to the Federation’s Integrity Department for investigation and disciplinary action.
The 2022/23 season is expected to kick off on Saturday, November 26, 2022, with several matches lined up across different venues.
However, the league will kick off without two teams which were set to be promoted last season and two which were demoted due to a case currently at the Sports Disputes Tribunal.
APS Bomet and Murang’a Seal have contested the decision by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) National Executive Committee (NEC) to declare last season null and void, which would mean that there would be no promotion or relegation.
The case, filed by Bomet, is still at the Tribunal and yet to be decided. At the same time, Kona Rangers which was promoted from the Division One has also contested the decision.
Teams excluded from fixtures
With the Tribunal admitting the case, the Federation made a decision to exclude the teams from the fixtures at least until the case is heard and determined.
Bomet alongside NSL winners Fortune Sacco were set to be promoted for the first time ever. However, the NEC decision, whicj nullified the leagues run by the caretaker committee, saw that same dream quashed.
It is now left to the Tribunal to make a way forward.
However, in a previous ruling, the Tribunal had ruled that the Caretaker Committee and then the Transition team formed by former CS Amina Mohamed had constituted judicial and executive bodies to run the league illegally, as they had not followed the FKF constitution.
According to the FKF law, only the Executive Committee can form any bodies to run the league and as thus, the ministry-installed committees did not have legal standing to undertake the same task. The Tribunal is expected to make a ruling on the fiasco in the next two weeks.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login