MONROVIA, Montserrado – The Liberia Football Association has thrown out an appeal from first division club FC Fassell over the 12 points deducted by the Disciplinary Committee for fielding ineligible players during the league.

The Soccer Missionaries were at the top of the league with 43 points before the deduction of the 12 points brought them down to fifth on the table with 31 points, giving LISCR FC the chance of going on top.

They were being punished after complaints were filed to the Disciplinary Committee by LISCR FC accusing Fassell of using ineligible players against Watanga Football Club, Jubilee Football Club, and Mighty Barrolle.

According to the complaint filed by LISCR FC, midfielder Jeremy Saygbe was shown a red card in Fassell’s 3-0 win over Watanga in the second phase of the league. Instead of missing the next three games as is the punishment for the red card, he missed only two games and featured in Fassell’s 1-0 win over Jubilee and their 5-0 win over Mighty Barrolle on May 31 and July 19, respectively.

The disciplinary committee recommended that the 1-0 win over Jubilee be reverse to 2-0 in favor of Jubilee, and the 5-0 win over Mighty Barrolle be reverse to a 2-0 win in favor of Mighty Barrolle. The result saw Fassell losing six points and four goals from the two games.

LISCR’s second complaint against the Soccer Missionaries was against defensive midfielder, John Jaysay, who is nicknamed Victor Wanyama among local fans. The player was accused of receiving three yellow cards in each of Fassell’s matches against Monrovia Club Breweries, LPRC Oilers, and Nimba United.

Therefore, he should have been banned from one game, according to the LFA statute, which states that any player who gets yellow cards in three different matches shall be banned from one match for his club. Instead, Jaysay was used in the Fassell’s home and away matches against Watanga Football Club on March 22 and April 14.

The ruling from the disciplinary committee awarded Watanga all six points for the two games and four goals, while Fassell had six points and four goals deducted.

The Soccer Missionaries filed an appeal against the decision from the disciplinary committee over six counts. Their counts were:

1. Fassell was never informed by the LFA of any complaint(s) lodge against her by any club affiliated to the LFA for the 2016-17 National League.
2. LISCR FC has no right to file complaint for Mighty Barrolle, Jubilee, and twice Watanga FC who were opponents between December 24, 2016 and April 14, 2017. These clubs are potent and are all first division clubs to have taken their own actions, and not LISCR FC. These clubs waved their rights, thus suffered lashes.
3. Between the dates herein mentioned, December 24, 2016- April 14, 2017, FC Fassell played no league match with LISCR FC, thus LISCR has no standing to complain FC Fassell.
4. The points deducted from FC Fassell are illegal, improper without any due process accorded us and any knowledge of the complaints.
5. If FC Fassell had played LISCR FC after playing Mighty Barrolle, Jubilee and twice Watanga FC, she would have had the standing to complain us.
6. FC Fassell was to receive the ruling of the LFA Grievance and Disciplinary committee seven days after the decision was taken. However, there is no date on the entire ruling

According to the Fassell’s vice president for administration, Payawala Janyan, the appeal was sent to the LFA on July 22 and was acknowledged via email on July 24.

In a communication sent to Fassell on Thursday, August 10, just a day after LISCR FC was declared champions of the 2016-17 First Division League, the LFA said it was nullifying Fassell’s appeal in keeping with the 2016/17 LFA rules and regulations. The LFA added that it upholds decision from the grievance and disciplinary committee on grounds that Fassell had violated the rules of the competition.

Meanwhile, Fassell is still demanding justice over claims that their appeal never reached the relevant committee.

Featured photo courtesy of T. Kla Wesley Jr.