UPL: Proline set to be docked six points for forfeiting Saturday fixture

Newly Promoted StarTimes Uganda Premier League side, Proline Football Club will anytime from Saturday be docked points for failure to honor a fixture.

On Saturday, Proline was a no-show at their own StarTimes stadium in Lugogo in a game in which they were to host record champions SC Villa.

The visitors showed up at the pitch but their efforts to wait for their hosts proved futile.

Background

Proline had earlier indicated that they would not honor the game because some their players are away with the national team in Kenya.

The club in a September, 7 statement insisted on their earlier decision not to play the game against SC Villa because the day is supposed to be an international break where all club football is halted.

“The FIFA rules on International break are very clear, an international break is simply a weekend when (basically) all domestic leagues take a week off to let players go home and play for their national teams,”  the statement from the club CEO, William Bakkabulindi read in part.

 “FIFA insists that official and friendly matches take precedence over all domestic matches and Uganda Cranes vs Kenya game is taking place during the official FIFA international break.”

 The Law

The FUFA Competition rules stipulate that a club failing to turn up for any league/competition match shall submit a written explanation to the TOC within forty-eight hours (excluding Sundays and public holidays) from the date of the match.

The rules also stipulate that a team shall lose the match by forfeiture and shall be docked six points and six goals from those already accumulated in event that the defaulting club is the home club.

In this case, Proline that  has only three points will be deducted six points.

However, the FUFA rules also say that if a club has at least one player in the national team, the fixture involving such a club may be called off three days before and three days after the national team engagement if it is to be played in Uganda.

The rules also stipulate that the fixture involving a club that has at least one player in the national team may be called off three days before departure and three days after return from an engagement outside Uganda.

Proline has two players including Mustapha Mujuzi and Bright Anunaki as part of the national team in Kenya.