NFA to rule on Bees, Mighty Gunners case

THE Namibia Football Association (NFA) Disciplinary Committee is expected to give its verdict on the promotion dispute between Northern Stream First Division sides Mighty Gunners and Golden Bees next week.

The chairman of the committee, Barry Rukoro, told The Namibian Sport yesterday that the winner of that division would be announced next week Tuesday. Mighty Gunners complained that Golden Bees had submitted falsified results to the Northern Stream First Division league co-ordinator in an attempt to get promotion to the premiership.Otjiwarongo’s Mighty Gunners are disputing the result of a match between Golden Bees of Outjo and Robber Chanties from Khorixas, which ended 2-1 in favour of Robber Chanties.Golden Bees claimed in their submission to the league coordinator that they had in fact won the match by that margin, and not Robber Chanties.Golden Bees were supposed to get automatic promotion provided they beat Robber Chanties, but Mighty Gunners were the next in line to gain promotion if Robber Chanties were the winners.Golden Bees, who were relegated after a one-season stint in the elite league, instead claimed that they had won the match, prompting Mighty Gunners to lay a complaint with the league authorities.The league officials then forwarded the complaint to the NFA’s Disciplinary Committee.Rukoro said his committee was unable to finalise the case after the completion of matches in that division last season, as Mighty Gunners were on a tour to Botswana.He said they would meet the two parties, Golden Bees as the respondent and Mighty Gunners as the complainants, next week Tuesday to finalise the matter.”We are going to give the verdict immediately after looking into the matter next week,” he said.The meeting will also be attended by the match officials who were in charge on the day, while Robber Chanties officials will be present as witnesses.At this stage, Friends, who were also relegated last season, are the winners of the Southern Stream First Division and will do battle in the premiership next season.The winner of the Northern Stream First Division was the only missing side to make up a total of 12 teams for the premiership that had been trimmed from the original 16 teams during the 2005/2006 season.Tsumeb side Chief Santos and Touch & Go from Otavi were relegated from the premiership last season to make way for the two winners in the respective first divisions.The Mighty Gunners/Golden Bees case has affected the compilation of the 2006/2007 fixtures for the premiership, while it left the Namibia Premier League (NPL) officials undecided over the kick-off dates in the process.Even if the case is resolved next week, there is still no indication of when the Namibian premiership would start.In addition, the Northern Stream First Division officials have submitted an application requesting the expulsion of both KK Palace and Life Fighters for not honouring three of their league matches last season.The former premiership sides failed to turn up for three league encounters each last season, and according to Rukoro, their fate will also be decided next week.Life Fighters from Otjiwarongo were relegated from the premiership prior to last season and as a result lost most of their supporters, while KK Palace, who are based in Oshakati, also went down the ranks at the same time as Life Fighters.If expelled, the players of the two teams will possibly join other teams.Rukoro added: “We do not make friends at Soccer House, but we take decisions.”Mighty Gunners complained that Golden Bees had submitted falsified results to the Northern Stream First Division league co-ordinator in an attempt to get promotion to the premiership.Otjiwarongo’s Mighty Gunners are disputing the result of a match between Golden Bees of Outjo and Robber Chanties from Khorixas, which ended 2-1 in favour of Robber Chanties.Golden Bees claimed in their submission to the league coordinator that they had in fact won the match by that margin, and not Robber Chanties.Golden Bees were supposed to get automatic promotion provided they beat Robber Chanties, but Mighty Gunners were the next in line to gain promotion if Robber Chanties were the winners.Golden Bees, who were relegated after a one-season stint in the elite league, instead claimed that they had won the match, prompting Mighty Gunners to lay a complaint with the league authorities.The league officials then forwarded the complaint to the NFA’s Disciplinary Committee.Rukoro said his committee was unable to finalise the case after the completion of matches in that division last season, as Mighty Gunners were on a tour to Botswana.He said they would meet the two parties, Golden Bees as the respondent and Mighty Gunners as the complainants, next week Tuesday to finalise the matter.”We are going to give the verdict immediately after looking into the matter next week,” he said.The meeting will also be attended by the match officials who were in charge on the day, while Robber Chanties officials will be present as witnesses.At this stage, Friends, who were also relegated last season, are the winners of the Southern Stream First Division and will do battle in the premiership next season.The winner of the Northern Stream First Division was the only missing side to make up a total of 12 teams for the premiership that had been trimmed from the original 16 teams during the 2005/2006 season.Tsumeb side Chief Santos and Touch & Go from Otavi were relegated from the premiership last season to make way for the two winners in the respective first divisions.The Mighty Gunners/Golden Bees case has affected the compilation of the 2006/2007 fixtures for the premiership, while it left the Namibia Premier League (NPL) officials undecided over the kick-off dates in the process.Even if the case is resolved next week, there is still no indication of when the Namibian premiership would start.In addition, the Northern Stream First Division officials have submitted an application requesting the expulsion of both KK Palace and Life Fighters for not honouring three of their league matches last season.The former premiership sides failed to turn up for three league encounters each last season, and according to Rukoro, their fate will also be decided next week.Life Fighters from Otjiwarongo were relegated from the premiership prior to last season and as a result lost most of their supporters, while KK Palace, who are based in Oshakati, also went down the ranks at the same time as Life Fighters.If expelled, the players of the two teams will possibly join other teams.Rukoro added: “We do not make friends at Soccer House, but we take decisions.”