There were ugly scenes at AkiBua Stadium in Lira after a FUFA Big League match between hosts Blacks Power FC and visiting Proline FC was called off in the 38th minute on Sunday!
Proline FC who started the game with only 9 players, later saw the number reduce to six before referee Rahuman Atiku abandoned play with the hosts leading 1-0 through James Okiror goal.
Yusuf Mukisa sustained a nasty injury and was rushed to the hospital after a collision before Joseph Mandela and later goalkeeper Shatif Magoola also picked knocks and were unable to continue, leaving Proline with just six players.
The rules of the game requires a team to field at least seven players for the match to start or continue.
Onlookers claimed that Proline faked injuries midway through the game, an accusation this website has failed to confirm.
- Also Read: FUFA, Proline in another row
FUFA Deputy CEO Decolas Kizza has said that the matter will be looked into by the Disciplinary Panel.
But FUFA Competitions Rule section V article 25 rule number 12-13 states:
12) Failure to continue with Play; where some or all the players of a team walk off the field of play such that the remaining players are less than seven (7) while the referee’s decision is to continue with play, that club shall be deemed to have lost the match by forfeiture to the opposing team. The club shall be fined not less than 2000UAs and/or further disciplinary actions
13) When the number of players of a team in a FUFA Competition match that are able to continue with play is less than seven (7) because of injuries and other reasons yet substitutions have been exhausted or are not available causing match officials to terminate the match, that club shall be deemed to have lost the match by forfeiture or by the standing result of the match (whichever is sportingly better) to the opposing team unless a prudent justification can be determined by the judicial body.
Proline took only nine players to Lira for Sunday’s game, but had 13 including two substitutes against Ndejje University last Thursday.
Juma Ramathan (suspended), Richard Ajuna, Musa Matovu (Suspended) and Alpha Ssali (ankle injury) did not make the trip to Lira.
Proline have since the start of the season struggled to have a full squad after they failed to secure players licenses for the 2021/22 season.
FUFA head of Communications Ahmed Hussein recently said on the matter: “Proline FC applied for 17 players’ licenses and received 16. Other applications (8) were transfer requests from other clubs who could not be secured by the club before the close of the window.
“Proline have not lodged any official complaint with the Federation but have been very active in the press.”
