Fair hearing crucial before league rulings
Sep 07, 2008
AFTER watching the video of the aborted Bunamwaya-Express league match the FUFA Competitions Committee found the Red Eagles and their coach David Otti culpable.
Opinion - By Douglas Mazune, Sports writer
AFTER watching the video of the aborted Bunamwaya-Express league match the FUFA Competitions Committee found the Red Eagles and their coach David Otti culpable.
According to FUFA, Express will forfeit three points and two goals for abandoning the match and will also be docked three points and two goals for the crowd violence. Coach Otti also faces a two-match suspension for inciting fans into violence.
The idea of docking points from teams whose fans turn violent will be effective in eradicating hooliganism for no fan would want their team to suffer such a penalty.
But this is a very delicate line to tow so thorough scrutiny should be done before such a decision is reached.
The committee went ahead to give Express and Otti seven days to defend themselves for the sake of justice.
The idea of giving accused parties a chance to defend themselves is much welcome but the ‘suspect’ should not be heard after a verdict has been taken.
The accused should have been asked to file their defence and a decision only taken after a hearing of both sides.
The committee may then give seven days within which a punished party can appeal in case they are not satisfied with the verdict.
Otherwise, the committee is on the right course because such hard-hitting punishments are a deterrent. It’s not too late for the committee to rectify that minor procedural anomaly.
AFTER watching the video of the aborted Bunamwaya-Express league match the FUFA Competitions Committee found the Red Eagles and their coach David Otti culpable.
According to FUFA, Express will forfeit three points and two goals for abandoning the match and will also be docked three points and two goals for the crowd violence. Coach Otti also faces a two-match suspension for inciting fans into violence.
The idea of docking points from teams whose fans turn violent will be effective in eradicating hooliganism for no fan would want their team to suffer such a penalty.
But this is a very delicate line to tow so thorough scrutiny should be done before such a decision is reached.
The committee went ahead to give Express and Otti seven days to defend themselves for the sake of justice.
The idea of giving accused parties a chance to defend themselves is much welcome but the ‘suspect’ should not be heard after a verdict has been taken.
The accused should have been asked to file their defence and a decision only taken after a hearing of both sides.
The committee may then give seven days within which a punished party can appeal in case they are not satisfied with the verdict.
Otherwise, the committee is on the right course because such hard-hitting punishments are a deterrent. It’s not too late for the committee to rectify that minor procedural anomaly.