Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) has sustained an earlier decision on promotion and relegation for the 2019/20 Big League season.
MYDA FC and UPDF were promoted by FUFA on sporting merit after the Big League was ended due to Covid19 pandemic.
Six clubs, three each from the two groups of Elgon and Rwenzori, were relegated – Saviour, Light, Katwe, Kansai, New Villa and Dove FC.
This was derived from competition rules article 18 that talks about determining league placements in case the league fails to be completed.
The decision was later contested by Ndejje University and Saviour FC who wrote a petition to FUFA saying that rules used were wrongly interpreted.
“FUFA Competitions Disciplinary Panel upholds decision by Executive on Big League 2019/2020 season. So UPDF and MYDA qualify automatically to the UPL,” FUFA has tweeted.
The decision means that the playoffs remain between Kitara FC V Kataka and Kiboga V Ndejje University FC to battle for the remaining promotion slot to Uganda Premier League next season.
FUFA used Article 18 (c) where “at least one club has played more than 75% of the league games” to determine the table positions.
However, in their petitions, the clubs said that NO team had played more than 75% by the time the league was ended prematurely.
So, the petition asked FUFA to consider Article 18 (b) where “all the Clubs in the league have completed the first round fixture but less than 75% league games have been played” so that the table standings at the end of the first round is considered as the final table standing of the league.
The reality is that Nyamityobora FC had played 12 of 16 games per big league table – Which is EXACTLY 75%, but not more or less than 75%.
In the Competition rules, “exactly 75%” is not catered for.
FUFA Competitions Disciplinary Panel, on Ndejje Petition, said that since the regulations did not fully cater for all scenarios in regard to the 75% rule, the FUFA Executive Committee was justified in exercising its powers under Article 85 (on matters not provided for) which aimed at achieving sporting justice.
Article 85: “The Executive Committee shall have the powers to decide on all cases of force majeure and on all matters not provided for in these statutes, such decisions to be made according to right and justice, taking into account the relevant regulations.”
