Stars told to comply with arbitration rules
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Saturday October 16, 2021 06:00
City Stars want the BFA to hear thier case where they are challenging the association's decision to prematurely end the 2019-2020 season. The club gave the association until Wednesday this week to have responded to its demands to place the matter before the Arbitration Tribunal or face the risk of interdiction of the start of the league.
The decision to abruptly end the league, resulted in the relegation of the City Stars, together with that of TAFIC and Miscellaneous. The club has previously written to the BFA demanding the second instalment of the FIFA COVID-19 relief fund. Yesterday, BFA chief executive officer, Goabaone Taylor said they have responded to the club’s demands. “We have responded to Molepolole City and advised them to comply with the Arbitration Rules on the manner in which a formal complaint is to be placed before the Arbitration Tribunal,” she said. City Star’s lawyer, Diba Diba of Thabiso Tafila Attorneys said the BFA response does not address the substantive issues but just an advise on how the club can lodge its complaint at the tribunal.
He, however, said they will still meet and discuss the way forward. Among the relegated sides, Miscellaneous accepted while TAFIC and Molepolole City lodged formal complaints. City Stars have since argued that their matter should have been determined on its own facts and circumstances instead of the TAFIC ruling being applied on them. “We acknowledge receipt of the ruling of the arbitration in the TAFIC matter.
Our client is unhappy with the decision in so far as you want it to apply to our client. There is no known legal principle that requires that a ruling in one matter is a decision in a separate complaint,” City Stars attorneys wrote to the BFA last month.
The club also felt the BFA was applying double standards after pardoning some Premier League sides for failure to meet the club licensing requirements. City Stars were among the clubs that were docked points at the start of the 2019-2020 season because they did not comply. However, recently the BFA gave Notwane, Gilport Lions, Mahalapye Railways Highlanders, Mogoditshane Fighters and Extension Gunners a reprieve after initially denying them licenses.