WINDHOEK – It’s just a matter of finalising a few details, but the hierarchy of Katutura glamour football club African Stars is set and ready to launch its appeal against the club’s expulsion from the MTC Namibia Premier League (NPL) for two seasons and also against the N$200 000 fine handed to Stars by the NPL.
Stars Chairman Sidney Martin confirmed to New Era Sports that the club management is almost done gathering all its facts and before Friday the club will launch its appeal to the Namibia Football Association (NFA) Appeals and Dispute Committee.
According to Martin, Stars was never accorded an opportunity to state its case before a disciplinary hearing before the NPL could take a decision to expel the club, a process he says is a direct contravention of natural justice.
He added that the 11 clubs that voted in favour of Stars’ expulsion from the league illegally cast their votes because whenever a football season comes to an end, clubs’ affiliation fees and other rights also automatically come to an end with the football season and thus they had no legal right to take any decisions at the meeting.
Besides the suspension, the NPL also slapped Stars with a N$200 000 fine for bringing the game of football into disrepute after Stars launched two cases against the NFA, NPL and its 11 affiliated clubs in civil court, a move the NPL top brass described as breaching the NPL and FIFA constitutions that prohibit all football disputes to be resolved in a civil court.
Stars’ chairman Martin and one of the club’s directors Clint Dauti were also suspended from all NPL-related activities for a period of two seasons and Martin said they will also appeal against that decision.
According to the NPL, Stars’ N$200 000 fine shall be payable in two installments, with the first installment payable on or before 15 August, 2014 and the final installment payable on or before 15 September, 2014.
By Otniel Hembapu