IT’S 18-TEAM LEAGUE: FKF, KPL reach agreement to expand, relegated clubs to know fate

A group photo of the newly appointed members of sports disputes tribunal after taking oath at supreme court yesterday.29/9/14-BEVERLYNE MUSILI

The Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) has made a break through on the composition of this season’s top tier league.

As a result, the top tier league will have 18 teams.

According to John Ohaga, who chairs the SDT, both Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and Kenyan Premier League (KPL) have agreed to have an expanded league.

“We have agreed towards running an 18-team KPL in 2017. What remains is to tie up the figures involved and the accountants for both parties will meet today to ratify the same,” he said.

Ohaga said the two parties have agreed that Sh36million is needed to bridge the budget for an expanded league.

Elsewhere, Sofapaka, Muhoroni Youth and Thika United have been asked to resubmit their documents for licensing.

The three clubs were relegated for failing to get clubs licensing certificates. They all appeared before the FKF Appeals Committee yesterday.

FKF president Nick Mwendwa said the clubs will no their fate next Wednesday.

Thika United Chief Executive Mike Muruiki said they are confident their appeal will go through.

“We realised the documents we submitted in the first instance were not done in the prescribed manner. We have corrected the same and we are confident the appeals committee will reinstate us,” he said.

Muhoroni Youth Chief Executive James Orundu said they had also submitted the required documents.

Orundu also challenged the decision to relegate their teams insisting that relegation and promotion should only be done on sporting reasons.

“It is unfair that we have been relegated for non-sporting reasons which is against Fifa and CAF relegations,” he said.