Corry Ihuhua
14 May 2008
AFRICAN Stars yesterday accused the Namibia Premier League (NPL) of acting as both prosecutor and judge by ignoring an earlier protest following an abandoned match against Black Africa last December.
Stars chairman Mbakumua Hengari yesterday wrote to the Namibia Football Association's acting Secretary General Barry Rukoro to complain about the NPL, as it decided on rescheduling the match despite a protest by Stars.
Stars also claim that the NPL broke their own rules in the process.
The matter stems from a complaint by Black Africa, which accused renowned referee Matthew Katjimune of being under the influence of an unknown substance when he took charge of the match late last year.
The match never took place, and subsequently Black Africa were found not guilty for firstly abandoning the match and secondly for bringing the name of the league into disrepute.
The two charges were brought forward against BA by the NPL disciplinary committee.
The NPL last week decided that the match must be played before June 1 and it has been scheduled for May 21 at a venue still to be decided.
Yesterday, Hengari expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, accusing the NPL of not following its own rules and those of the NFA by rescheduling the match, adding that the NPL had also ignored Stars' protest on the matter.
In his letter to Rukoro, Hengari said the NPL rescheduled the match contrary to rules 7 of Part II and Part III respectively of the NFA.
"The NPL has failed to refer this matter to the NFA executive in terms of Rule 7.2 of the Part II of the NFA Rules for a final decision after our protest," he wrote.
Black Africa chairman Boni Paulino yesterday said they followed all the procedures and were not found guilty and therefore do not find any problem with the rescheduling of the match.
"It was never a matter between African Stars and the league, but since they realised that we were not found guilty, they decided to join the fray.
We are ready to play the match," said Paulino yesterday.
Hengari in his letter further argues that the NPL's decision was "clearly against the spirit and rules of the game and should not be condoned or allowed".
He said on March 4, the NPL told Stars that their protest was being dealt with by the league in terms of Rule 10,6 of the NFA Rules and Regulations.
At the time, the NPL also stated that: "The matter was referred to the judicial bodies of the NFA whose decisions become binding upon the league and its members."
The bodies referred to were the NFA Disciplinary Committee and the NFA Appeal Board, whose decisions the NPL was bound to honour.
"We are therefore submitting our request to the NFA executive committee to review and set aside the decision of the NPL according to Rule 7a or 7d of Part III of the NFA Rules," he stated.
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