The Mukono-based side Kyetume FC has lost its appeal challenging the decision by FUFA Club Licensing Committee to eliminate it from the Uganda Premier League for alleged failure to meet the licensing requirements. The Federation of Uganda Football Association-FUFA has maintained its earlier decision to relegate the club to the third division after finding its appeal unsubstantial.
On August 16th, 2022, the FUFA Club Licensing Committee decided to deny Kyetume FC a license for the 2022/23 season for failure to meet the deadlines of submitting the minimum licensing requirements. According to the August 12, 2022 letter issued by the Club License Committee, Kyetume FC had only three players registered on the FUFA Connect System against the required minimum of 18 players.
As a result, the club decided to appeal the decision through the FUFA Licensing Appeals body seeking reinstatement to participate in the forthcoming Star Times Uganda Premier League. Now, the FUFA Deputy CEO in charge of Football, Decolus Kiiza, says that the Club licensing committee decided to uphold the earlier decision.
“FUFA appreciates your effort to fulfill club licensing requirements to participate in the first division 2022/2023. Your request has been considered by the FUFA Club Licensing Appeals committee (FCLAC),” reads Kiiza’s August 9th, 2022 letter to the club. Adding that, “The FCLAC noted that your club had no players on the dashboard in the FUFA connect system as no player was uploaded onto the system by the deadline (10th August 2022) as a minimum club licensing requirement.” He notes that “the decision of the club licensing committee is therefore upheld. FUFA wishes to advise that Kyetume FC undertakes to fulfill club licensing requirements for the third Division Buganda Region season 2022/2023.”
Kiiza explained to us in an interview that according to FUFA regulations, once a club fails the licensing exercise, it is taken two steps back.
Normally, sixteen clubs take part in Uganda Premier League, but the relegation leaves the league with only fifteen clubs. “They will have fifteen clubs, those who have passed the club licensing test, it could as well have been lowered than that, and the daft fixtures will come any time after now because we were waiting for the appeals committee decision,” Kiiza told us when asked on the number of clubs.
Speaking to URN, Martin Namugera, Kyetume’s Chief Executive Officer, said that they are yet to decide their next course of action. “Who can be fine in this world with such a decision? Namugera asked. Adding that “We are not ready for anything yet; the executive is going to sit to decide what is next for the club.”
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