BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – The Rams Village Superstars Football Team has regarded as “totally unfair” action taken by the St. Kitts Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) against two of its members and has expressed its intention to challenge it.
Recently, the SKNFA issued a press release in which it outlined decisions made with regard to player Joel Jeffers, manager Ken Queeley and coach Iroy Jeffers.
The release informs that the SKNFA’s Disciplinary Committee met on August 11 to discuss matters relating to the Village Superstars members which arose from incidents occurring on June 18, when that team was playing the S. L. Horsford’s St. Pauls team at Warner Park.
While the release doesn’t indicate what the exact infractions were, it spells out penalties which would affect both Queeley and Joel Jeffers.
The Committee decided that in relation to Queeley, his suspension from the Bench is extended for one match, “that is the first match commencing next league”.
The committee’s ruling as it relates to Joel Jeffers, however, is that he is required to pay a $1000 fine to the Secretariat “before the next scheduled fixture for the Rams Village Superstars”.
The complaint made against Iroy Jeffers was dismissed as the Disciplinary Committee was “not in a position to make any decision” on that matter.
Immediate past president of the Rams Village Superstars Football Club, Franklyn Maitland, in an interview with SKNVibes expressed dissatisfaction with the disciplinary committee’s decisions against Joel Jeffers and Queeley.
He said the incidents occurred in the restricted area following the match and although he was not present while the alleged incidents occurred, according to his understanding of the events, the punishment is not befitting.
Maitland explained that in each of the three instances, there were verbal exchanges between with match officials and according to his understanding, there was no physical interaction during or which resulted from the exchanges. He further explained that the exchanges surrounded decisions which were made during the game, which the club’s officials may have deemed unfair or inappropriate.
The Disciplinary Committee handed down its ruling, however, according to Maitland, no member of the Village Superstars Football Club was invited to the hearing.
“It was brought to our attention that the matters were sent to the disciplinary committee and up to this point of speaking with you, we understand that nobody from our team, either persons involved or any officials representing them, was invited to the disciplinary committee hearing. Our club was advised of the decision on Thursday of last week.”
Club execs have yet to meet officially to discuss the matter, but Maitland noted that the general consensus is that “we are particularly stunned at the decision (and) it appears terribly out of proportion to whatever the alleged incidents were and we will be appealing those decisions to the Appeals Committee of the Football Association.”
The text of the SKNFA’s press release which speaks to the disciplinary actions taken against the RAMS Village Superstars members is as follows:
IN THE MATTER of Rams Village Superstars Players; JOEL JEFFERS, KEN QUEELEY and IROY JEFFERS in match Rams Village Superstars versus S.L. Horsford's St. Pauls on 18th June 2011 at Warner Park Stadium
1. IN THE MATTER OF ERNEST QUEELEY
Pursuant to Article 18 (4) of the FIFA Code, the decision of the Committee in relation to ERNEST QUEELEY is for a furtherance and/or extension of the suspension from the Bench for one match, that is the first match commencing next league.
The Committee wishes further to issue a warning pursuant to Article 13 of the FIFA Code in relation to Mr. Queeley and any other individual and/or team and states that any act that amounts to a non compliance of a previous sanction will certainly be frowned upon.
2. IN THE MATTER OF IROY JEFFERS
The committee was not in a position to make any decision in relation to IROY JEFFERS, and accordingly dismisses the complaint against him.
3. IN THE MATTER OF JOEL JEFFERS
The Committee endorses the red card issued by Referee Stewart Rawlins in the 90th minute, and finds that a fine of EC$1,000.00 is reasonable in all the circumstances. This would be done pursuant to Rule 19 (e) of the SKNFA Leagues’ Rules and Regulations which provides for the payment of such fine from any player or team official who verbally abuses a match official.
The rule further provides for the payment of the fine to the Secretariat before the Team’s next match. Accordingly, the decision of the Committee is for the payment of the fine of EC$1000.00 by JOEL JEFFERS to the Secretariat on or before the next scheduled fixture for the Rams Village Superstars.
Additionally, the Committee wishes to state that it frowns upon this type of behaviour and finds it to be unacceptable, and issues a serious reprimand pursuant to Article 14 of the FIFA code in relation to JOEL JEFFERS that this behaviour would certainly not be tolerated in the future.
