USBFC FILES PROTEST AGAINST KMC CHAMPIONS

Universal Sporting Boys FC (USBFC) which lost the crucial KMC regional football league final to ASM Athletic FC last Saturday has lodged a protest against the victory of their opponents whom they accused ofplaying an ineligible player.
In its protest letter to the KMC regional Football Association seen by The Standard, USBFC alleged that ASM Athletic fielded an ineligible player, Goalkeeper Muhammed Cham.
“According to our investigations, the said player was previously registered with ACS KSAR Nouakchott, a Mauritanian football club and has not received an official International Transfer Certificate (ITC) from Fifa to authorise his clearance for competitive play with ASM Athletic. Until such clearance is officially issued, the player remains ineligible to participate in any official matches,” USBFC alleged.
The club argued that by fielding Muhammed Cham without an ITC, ASM Athletic breached player eligibility rules, thereby compromising the integrity and fairness of the competition.
“We respectfully request that the Competition’s Organising Committee investigate the matter and nullify the result of the match and award a forfeit- win to Universal Sporting Boys FC in accordance with competition regulations, and penalise ASM Athletic for breaching transfer and eligibility regulations. The KMC championship is crucial because it is a path way to play offs for promotion to the Gambia Football Federation’s Second Division League. ASM Athletics FC won  the final 2-1 to take the championship and barring any other eventualities, the team  is qualified  to participate in the play offs.” The Standard contacted the secretary of the KMC Regional Football Association George Nyouki who confirmed receipt of the protest from USBFC. He explained that a body in the Regional FA will look into it and come out with a decision. “At the moment, it is a protest, which means an allegation, until a determination is made on it. It is from that decision that any aggrieved party who find its necessary, may lodge an appeal,” he said. 
An official of the GFF told The Standard that the matter is a regional league issue and as far as the GFF is concerned, ASM Athletics is the KMC champion until otherwise.