KPL ordered to award Gor three points

By RODGERS ESHITEMI

Football Kenya Federation has ordered the Kenyan Premier League to award Gor Mahia the maximum points after their KPL match against Sony Sugar was abandoned, on Sunday September 1, at Awendo Green Stadium.

The decision comes barely a few days after the table-toppers launched an appeal against KPL’s ruling to have the match replayed next Wednesday.

KPL had ruled that no team was responsible for chaos that started in the 84th minute after David Owino’s controversial equaliser with Sony players and officials claiming that the ball did not cross the line.

However, in a statement signed by FKF’s Secretary General Michael Esakwa, the federation absolved Gor from the abandonment and blamed Sony for assaulting match officials during the match.

“Football Kenya Federation is in receipt of the match commissioner’s report, the referees report and a copy of a letter from the CEO KPL dated September, 3 2013 and addressed to the secretary of Sony Sugar FC and Gor Mahia FC respectively,” said Esakwa.

“The federation has studied and analysed the facts pertaining to this match and has established that:

1.   The match was stopped in the 84th minute after Gor Mahia scored their second goal.

2. The first Assistant Referee was assaulted by a player and an official of Sony Sugar FC.

3. There was intervention by the police to control the crowds.

4. The match was stopped for 28 minutes,” he continued.

As per the federation’s investigations, Esakwa says the Millers were responsible for the abandonment of the match.

“In view of the stated facts the Federation hereby invokes rule 3.4(b), 3.5(c) and 3.8, Rules of Kenyan Football (1998) and finds Sony Sugar FC culpable of causing the abandonment of the match no.171 and subsequent abandonment of the match,” said Esakwa.

“The collapse of the perimeter fence in the view of the Federation is an after effect of the stoppage and subsequent abandonment of the match.

Our own investigations further reveal that the centre referee was assaulted and the same has not been documented in his report or that of the match commissioner,” he added.

The federation further warned former international referee GMT Otieno from interfering with the referee’s decisions.