Sholei appeals against six-year football ban

Sammy Sholei (top) has appealed against his six-year ban by Football Kenya Federation (FKF).

In a letter from his lawyers to National Olympic Committee of Kenya for arbitration, Sholei is demanding reinstatement to his former position of first vice chairman of the federation, damages, interests and costs arising from his suspension.

Sholei was suspended alongside former Nairobi FKF branch chairman, Dan Shikanda, NEC representative for Nyanza Province Tom Alila and NEC representative from Coast Province Hussein Terry on July 2 2012.

But their suspensions were confirmed on June 27 during an FKF AGM in Kabarak where Sholei and Shikanda were left in the cold for six years each, Terry was banned for life and Alila let off the hook.

“The purported suspension, for which the claimant continues to endure the ignominy of, is illegal ab initio as the NEC, for some strange reason, relied upon a constitution that failed to enjoy the force of law at the precise period when the dispute arose,” he wrote in his petition.

Sholei said he was not given a chance to defend himself.