Football: EABL distances themselves from KPL/FKF stand off

East African Breweries Limited, the official sponsors of the Kenyan Premier League through their brand Tusker, have distanced themselves from the stand-off between Football Kenyan Federation and the league organizers over this season's league format.

This comes barely a week after the federation announced the formation of an 18-team league to kick-off mid-next month after their talks with the KPL over the league expansion collapsed.

The impasse could lead the Kenyan football back to the 2008 scenario where the country had two leagues running parallel owing to leadership wrangles.

But, in a correspondence to Game Yetu, the giant alcohol manufacturers, who signed a three year deal worth Shs 170 M with KPL in 2012, said they cannot engage on the administrative issues of the game.

"As sponsors we do not engage ourselves on football administrative or management matters. The current stand-off falls under football management. So it's a management issue," read the correspondence.

"Our contract runs through the financial year, terms of which we cannot comment on at this time," it added.

Speaking at last week’s cheque hand-over ceremony to football teams that participated in the inaugural Tusker Jenga Game promotion, at a Nairobi hotel, Tusker Marketing Manager Arianne Okong'o said her company still have a running contract with KPL.

"Our conversation with KPL and contract with them still hold," said Okong'o.

However, in an interview with Game Yetu on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of a three-day anti-doping seminar at Ole Sereni Hotel, Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and Arts Dr. Hassan Wario said he had a fruitful meeting with the two warring factions.

"We had a very fruitful meeting with both parties on Thursday and we are optimistic the discussions could actually put us on the path to a lasting solution," said Wario.

"I am still waiting for certain documents before releasing an official report on a way forward."

Nevertheless, a close source to the Ministry intimated to Game Yetu that top FKF officials skipped the meeting as they had traveled to Kakamega for the Special General Meeting.

"Yes, the meeting was there, but only KPL officials attended it," said the source.

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