SVGFF takes another look at ‘flawed’ National Club Championships rules

With the National Football Club Championships, staged by St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, set to begin September 15, the organizing committee has plugged the holes in the rules governing the championships.{{more}}

Among the anomalies addressed is the issue of transfer of players during the championships.

The new rule will not allow players who are transferred whilst the championships are in progress to move to their new club.

Third vice president of the SVGFF Paul Boucher, who holds responsibility for tournaments and competitions, informed SEARCHLIGHT of the revamped regulations last Tuesday.

In last year’s premier division competition, some clubs drafted key players from those clubs who were out of the running for the top spots, only to have the said player re-transferred to their original clubs, as soon as the transfer window was re-opened.

“… This will not be allowed this year; no player can move to his/her new club until the new championships begin… in this case in 2014”, Boucher reiterated.

Also revisited was the movement of players from the first division to their premier division outfits.

“No player registered in the first division can play for his premier team…”, Boucher said forcefully.

Previously, players who are part of clubs with teams in both divisions, once registered in the first division, were allowed a maximum of three matches in the premier division. However, if the player were to do so, he would have to remain as a premier division player and was no longer eligible to play in the first division.

But some clubs took advantage of lapses in the monitoring of this rule and their players exceeded their quota.

Boucher acknowledged the difficulties in the rule, hence his committee’s decision to do away with it all together.

The SVGFF’s third vice president also revealed that three points will be deducted from teams’ points tally, once they lose matches by default.

He said this was done on the basis that several teams/clubs in last year’s championships, especially those who had already qualified for the play-offs, forfeited their matches.

“… This we felt was tantamount to match fixing,” Boucher said.

But whilst the organizing committee is readying itself to commence the 2013 edition, there is still uncertainty as to where the opening will be hosted. (RT)