Fans reaction after FIFA trashes Sports Disputes Tribunal decision

FKF president Nick Mwendwa[Jonah Onyango, Standard]

After world Football governing body FIFA on Wednesday, March 25 quashed a ruling made by Kenya’s Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) that saw the cancellation of FKF’s repeat elections.

The decision has divided football fans across the country with some lauding FIFA’s decision and other crying fouls on the manner at which the football governing body dismissed SDT’S ruling.

 In a letter sent to FKF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Barry Otieno dated Wednesday, March 25, FIFA spoke widely on several issues surrounding the aforementioned above.

FIFA blamed FKF for subjecting itself to the SDT when it should not have, arguing the SDT is not recognised as the ultimate settlement medium at the national level.

“FKF statutes do not expressly recognize the jurisdiction of the SDT as being the ultimate arbitration forum at the national level. Moreover, we note that the SDT is not a national arbitration tribunal in the sense of FIFA circular 1010dated 20 December 2005. Despite the aforementioned, the FKF surprisingly subjected to the SDT by its own initiative while it was not obliged to so do as per its Statues,” part of the statement highlighted.

A faction led by FKF presidential hopefuls Lordvick Aduda poked holes on the FIFA directive blaming FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, Veron Mosengo-Omba for playing a key role in the trashing of the SDT decision by FIFA.

“It has to be clear, because there are things that do not add up especially how FIFA has now turned around to trash the same SDT it has previously upheld its decisions,” Lordvick Aduda, an aspirant in the FKF elections, said.

Here are some of the reactions by fans on Twitter:

 

If sports administration is voluntary CSR, what is so hard in serving one term and letting others move the game forward? Must we always have confict during elections? — jane kerubo oisebe (@kerubo56) March 25, 2020

Which test, in Circular 1010 of 20/12/2005, did Kenya’s SDT fail to meet? As @FIFAcom observed, @Football_Kenya WILLINGLY subjected itself to the SDT’s jurisdiction. How can it, subsequently, not be bound by its verdict? — Osasu Obayiuwana (@osasuo) March 25, 2020

As usual the corrupt FIFA looks the other way. The biggest impediment to development of soccer in Africa is sadly FIFA. — Ogallo Kennedy (@OgalloK) March 25, 2020