Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards risk three-year CAF ban
Football
By
Gilbert Wandera
| Jan 04, 2018
Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards risk a three-year ban from Confederation of African Football matches should they pull out of this year’s continental tournaments.
The two clubs have said they could pull out of the tournaments after betting firm SportPesa announced that it would no longer sponsor them following a 35 per cent tax increase on betting.
The continental body takes a dim view of teams pulling out of its competitions and usually imposes a three-year ban.
Gor Mahia, the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions, have qualified to take part in the Champions League while AFC Leopards - the GOtv champions are slated to represent the country in the Confederations Cup.
Yesterday, AFC Leopards chairman Dan Mule said the team would pull out if it do not get a sponsor by the end of this month.
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“We are planning to engage the Government to take up our bill for continental football, but if they cannot do that, then we have no choice but to pull out. We understand there are consequences but there is simply nothing we can do about it,” he said.
Mule also confirmed that he had officially received a notice of contract termination from SportPesa on Tuesday afternoon.
Gor Chairman Ambrose Rachier said he would write to the continental body, CAF, stating the team’s withdrawal from the 2018 Champions League.
“A one-way air ticket costs Sh3.5 million and accommodation is Sh3 million. That means we will need about Sh10 milion for one match - to and fro - and we cannot sustain that budget.
“Our gate collections are not enough to cater for that expense and also pay players and the technical bench. We are in dilemma. This is tantamount to killing football in the country. No Kenyan club is going to successfully stay in the 2018 KPL,” Rachier lamented.
The two clubs received Sh100 million a year from the betting firm.