AFC Leopards threaten to quit KPL

Story courtesy of Kenya Football


AFC Leopards have threatened to pull out of the Kenya Premier League (KPL) if their complaints are not adequately addressed.

Club Chairman Alex Ole Magelo cited poor officiating in their matches, substitution of referees at the eleventh hour without a valid reason and the haphazard changing of their match venue. The club boss further decried the IDAC rulings that KPL has made them final and unchallengeable.

Addressing a well attended press conference held at the State House Grounds, Magelo who was flanked by Club organizing Secretary Timothy Lirumbi and club treasurer Duncan Angode said they will not honour this weekend’s KPL match against Mathare United if it will be held at Kasarani.




He said even a layman knows the club home ground is at Coca Cola National Stadium and wondered why their weekend clash against Mathare United was being switched to the home venue of their opponents.

A bitter Magelo appealed to Football Kenya Limited (FKL) and the World Governing football body-FIFA to take a deep look in the running of the KPL to avoid turning the very sport of football into disrepute.

“We are deeply touched by poor officiating by the current trend of biased officiating. A case in mind is our match against Sofapaka FC at Kasarani when the centre referee disallowed an own goal citing offside which has never happened in the world.” said Magelo.

“It became more suspicious, Magello added, for my club when centre referee who had been assigned the match and even attended the pre-match session was substituted at the eleventh hour without a valid reason, only for the centre
referee in question to turn up for the match and mismanage it at our detriment,” said Magelo.

The club has also raised a red flag warning that they are reviewing their stand on the Supersport grants that appears meant to blackmail clubs and fix them in a corner. “Yes, I’ m putting it clear that we are considering pulling out of the grants scheme altogether and pursue individual sponsorship deals that will allow us to live again.” KPL has kept mum on various complaints raised by my club and now we are wondering why they have allowed the controversial Hope centre grounds to be used and yet it was condemned as unfit?” Wondered Magelo.