Express defiant

Dec 26, 2009

EXPRESS will defy an order by soccer governing body FUFA to pull a case against them out of court or face expulsion from the Super League.

By Norman Katende

EXPRESS will defy an order by soccer governing body FUFA to pull a case against them out of court or face expulsion from the Super League.

The club’s secretary Kavuma Kabenge said yesterday FUFA do not run the league so have no powers to expel them, while board member Bbale Mugera called for talks, saying threats will not resolve the impasse.

Kabenge insisted that Express is not a member of the Super League but of the Super Divisions Club Association (SDCA). He argued that it was only the SDCA that can punish them and not FUFA, adding that clubs are not among the parties that can not go to court as per the constitution.

“They can go ahead and throw us out of the league but it is not their league. It is for the SDCA,” said Kabenge adding that

“Express is not a small boy to be ordered like that”.

Board member Mugera on the other hand said that they are ready to meet the FUFA executive.

“Ordering and exchanging words in the news is not the best option. We are only two people, me and prince Kassim Nakibinge who speak on behalf of the board. The doors are open for us to discuss the way forward for the good of the game,” Mugera said yesterday.

FUFA gave Express Sports Club up to December 31 to withdraw the civil suit number 174 of 2009, filed by Express Sports Club against the federation officials.

“The FUFA executive committee resolved that rule J14 of the 2009/10 Uganda Super League be evoked, if Express Football Club, through its owners Express Sports Club Limited does not withdraw the suit from the civil courts by December 31, 2009,” read part of the 2-page document signed by federation chief executive officer Edgar Watson.

Rule J14 of the Uganda Super league calls for the expulsion from the Uganda Super League of any club or individual who takes soccer matters to court and advises on the formation of an arbitrating committee to address any disharmony.

Express sued federation president Lawrence Mulindwa, chief executive officer Edgar Watson and returning officer Patrick Okanya, contesting the legality of the federation and the way the federation is managed.

Watson went ahead to point out that though Express enjoys the right to seek justice in the courts of law as per the Ugandan constitution, their continued participation in the Uganda Super League “is inconsistent with the FUFA, CAF and FIFA statutes”.

The letter, dated December 21, was copied to world and continental soccer governing bodies FIFA and CAF.

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