NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 3 – Kenya’s football stalemate is far from being resolved after the Cabinet Secretary for Sports Amina Mohamed on Friday underscored that FIFA needs to respect the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) and that she is doubtful the meeting slated for April 6 as instructed by the world governing body will take place.
This comes after FIFA responded on the SDT ruling that had nullified the Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) branch elections, dissolved the federation’s National Executive Council and called on the world governing football body to form a normalization committee.
Contrary to what the STD asked for, FIFA in its letter said that the Sports Dispute Tribunal has no power to adjudicate FKF matters and that only the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has the mandate to do so, therefore rendering their ruling as null and void.
Instead FIFA said its ready to hold a meeting with FKF, SDT representatives, Ministry of Sports and other relevant stakeholders to find a solution.
“We note that the SDT is not a national arbitration tribunal in the sense of FIFA circular 1010 dated 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 Statutes,” the statement signed by FIFA’s Member Associations Officer Veron Mosengo-Omba stated.
CS Amina, speaking to a sports show on National Television NTV, further stated that she is yet to receive a letter from FIFA on its decision about the SDT ruling, stating that she wants FIFA to engage them directly and not through third parties.
“I have said before that its important we follow and respect our courts, after SDT made its ruling, you saw FIFA did a letter to FKF saying we need to have a meeting on the 6th of April with SDT, FIFA, and FKF but I doubt it will be there because of coronavirus,” Amina stated.
“Even before that, I will want to have a chat with FKF and football stakeholders we agree how we will run our football affairs and not depend on outsiders to give us a solution.
FIFA wrote to FKF, I am waiting to get a word from them because I have not received any letter from them about the same. I am being told that FIFA has told FKF to write to us to tell us there will be this meeting, but as a government I would want FIFA to tell us directly not through FKF or any other association,” Amina further said.
She added that; “we have a Sports Act and we all agreed that we will follow all the rules and I hope we will all do so, the government did not go to court, FKF went to court and the decision was made on them and I want them to look at the ruling and see that we respect out courts.”
-No money for Amrouche-
On the hefty Sh109 million that FKF have been instructed by CAS to pay former Harambee Stars head coach Adel Amrouche for wrongful dismissal, the Sports CS reiterated that the government will not pay the money, urging FKF to find a way of settling the debt.
“We are in talks with FKF about the matter but as of now I still insist that as the government we will not pay the money, FKF should have a talk with respective parties and sort it out, see away forward to agree on a long term payment,” Amina affirmed.
If FKF fails to pay Amrouche before April 30, then Kenya risks being sanctioned by FIFA that will lead to Kenya not participating in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers.
