courtesy of michezoafrika.com<\/p>\n
AFC Leopards\u00a0 has come out to clearly explain reasons why they decided to announce that they will not honour this weekend\u2019s KPL Top 8 fixture against Gor Mahia claiming KPL and the league organizers did not consult them before fixing the date for the match.<\/p>\n
This comes just hours after KPL held a pre match stakeholders meeting at Kasarani on Wednesday where AFC Leopards was not represented.<\/p>\n
In a detailed statement released by AFC Leopards secretary General Winston Kituyi, AFC Leopards say: \u201cWe raised some issues which have yet to be addressed by KPL. For starters, the Executive Committee of the club was not consulted before the match was fixed for 29th July 2012 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe (Leopards) wrote a letter to KPL on 24th July 2012 and requested for the deferment of the match. The technical bench of the team had already requested the deferment of the match and we were surprised that the CEO of the KPL was quoted as turning down the deferment without reference to the club.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would have been prudent for KPL to consult the club on its position to honour the match and furnish the club with other important details such as the rules of this tournament and all other pertinent information to enable the clubs EC to make an informed decision. The consultation we believe is one that can take place in one day at a round table featuring our opponents Gor, KPL and ourselves. Surely that is not much to ask for. It is quite simple: We want to play Gor Mahia FC at a convenient date and not hurried circumstances that arouse suspicion.\u201d The statement continues to say.<\/p>\n
\u201cMedia reports indicated that the security personnel for the match had already been appointed; ticketing agents appointed; prices for match tickets fixed and so on yet Leopards had not been addressed on these issues. Instead, the KPL CEO indicated that this could be addressed at the pre-event meeting on 25th July 2012.\u201d<\/p>\n
AFC Leopards officials did not attend the pre match meeting held at Kasarani on Wednesday and when asked whether AFC had received communication on the match and the said meeting,\u00a0 KPL CEO Jack Oguda said the same AFC Leopards had written a letter a week ago requesting for advance payment ahead of the match.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast evening (Tuesday) we received a letter from AFC Leopards informing us that they will not honor the match because they were not aware about the change of dates. But a week earlier they had also written to us requesting to know about advance payment ahead of the tournament and for them to say they did not know anything about the match is a contradiction.The game is beautiful and should remain beautiful so AFC should honour the match and avoid bringing the game into disrepute.\u201d Oguda said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The CEO went ahead to explain that according to rules and regulations set up by all clubs including AFC, the tournament is meant to enhance competition besides the main league. He said KPL funds all Nairobi clubs with 100,000 shillings to facilitate logistics while they facilitate transport (air) and accommodation for all teams from outside Nairobi as well as pay allowances for all players and officials of participating teams.<\/p>\n
But AFC in the statement continued to say that, \u201cWe as a club have the greatest respect for KPL. In fact, our Chairman is a Director of the Kenyan Premier League Limited. We do not value money and have always taken part in tournaments to play for our pride. Whatever cash incentives may come out of the participation is a mere bonus to us. That is why we have been playing in the FKF Cup or Presidents Cup even when we know we may be spending money that we don\u2019t get back.\u201d The statement read in part.<\/p>\n