Africa-Press – Uganda. KCCA have expressed “dismay at the callousness of sanctions” imposed following their aborted league game against Onduparaka in Arua City last week.
The Fufa Competitions Disciplinary Panel (CDP), Investigations Chamber and Referees Disciplinary Panel last Friday imposed a raft of sanctions, fines, to the consternation of many stakeholders of the game, ordered a replay of the match and awarded the two teams Shs2.5m each instead.
KCCA, who had been awarded a penalty in stoppage time with the match 2-2, said the decisions not only set aside the rule book drafted by Fufa itself but are also “a pat on the back of perennial offenders and a reward to hooliganism.”
The good, the bad and…
The game was abandoned deep into stoppage time at 2-2 when centre referee Ronald Madanda awarded a penalty to KCCA after forward Brian Aheebwa was brought down by Onduparaka defender Hamza Geriga.
Fufa have lately been steadfast in handing out sanctions for transgressions during competitions with fines and bans communicated every 48 hours.
This is a 10-fold improvement from the past when decisions took weeks. There goes the kudos even if some of the decisions are contestable before the mess witnessed in Arua last week.
The green army threw bottles on the pitch, and specifically targeted assistant referee Michael Kalule. One fan sat on the penalty spot to prevent the kick from being taken in what was a televised game.
Police fired teargas to disperse the crowd. KCCA had to duck for their safety as the game was abandoned.
KCCA claim that their bus windows were shattered and have circulated images to back this claim. The windscreen of their chairman Martin Ssekajja’s car was smashed too.
Caterpillars’ case
In the immediate aftermath of the incidents, the war moved to social media with Onduparaka going on the offensive like the Caterpillars they are.
Fufa fall short
First, they admitted their guilt, condemned the actions of their own fans and apologised to KCCA.
And then came the offensive as some Onduparaka officials and fans took to social media to accuse the federation of a cover up in match fixing.
Article 31 of the Fufa Competitions Rules is very clear: hooliganism, abandonment of a match due to violence lead to a forfeiture of the match by three points and three goals.
However, CDP instead docked Onduparaka two points and two goals from those already accumulated and ordered a replay despite this not being in the law and with KCCA not found at fault for the abandonment of the game.
Fufa also awarded Shs2.5m to each club for the replay at a neutral venue, an admission of handing out carrot instead of stick as Fufa broke their own rules.
In simple terms, Fufa are saying that; if you are losing a game, fight and abandon it then Fufa will order a replay and send Shs2.5m to reward such efforts.
Inconsistency
Last month SC Villa were deducted a point when their fans pelted the KCCA bench with objects. CDP, which has also been accused of issuing bans without hearing from the accused parties, also contradicted itself by suspending the centre referee Ronald Madanda.
According to the Referees Technical & Development Panel comprising David Katabira, Catherine Adipo and Shaban Ndawula, Madanda made the right call in awarding the contested penalty.
Madanda is however faulted for earlier awarding a penalty to Onduparaka in first half added time when “the ball touched the KCCA player’s stomach.”
The referees’ panel consequently banned Madanda from officiating at all levels until June 30.
In their colourful rebuttal yesterday, KCCA said that while the “FA president is preaching water, the judicial bodies are continuously drinking wine.”
KCCA also demanded that Fufa “show the power of the example and not the example of the power.”
Let the interpretations begin.
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