3 months ago
17
HARBOUR VIEW general manager Clyde Jurideini believes that the judgment passed on Jamaica Premier League leaders Mount Pleasant Football Academy (MPFA) is a just one and that the matter should now be put to bed and the focus switched to the playoffs, which are only a day away.
Jurideini said a realease from the Jamaica Football Federation’s Competitions Committee clearly outlined that under the FIFA laws and hence under CONCACAF competition rules, two Haitian players, Angelo Exilus and Jeudy Johnson, whose eligibility was in question, were registered within the JPL’s transfer window to Mount Pleasant and that subsequent appearances for Haitian club Real Hope were not a breach on the part of the Jamaican outfit.
Jureidini noted also that the second issue concerning the listing of seven international players being registered on a match card was also handled fairly.
It was alleged that Mount Pleasant had used too many international players in a game against Racing United, however, the JFF Competitions Committee noted that only five of those players were on the field at any point in the game.
“The JFF regulations for the Jamaica Premier League state that you can have six foreign-based players on the field at any one time. From the match card presented, seven players were listed, but only five played. So they do not lose the points or the game by a 3-0 margin to Racing.
“They listed seven players – one more than the alllowed six – and they are fined $25,000, and that, for me, is clear.
“Based on what was checked and what was outlined, Mount Pleasant is relieved of those charges, and based on what I’ve read, the judgments are correct,” he stated.
He said the incident put a damper on what was an exciting and dramatic end to the regular season but that it was time to put that aside with the impending playoffs.
“We should get on with it and with haste. It, unfortunately, took some time, but I assume they were doing their due diligence and checks and double checks.
“It has dampened things over the last week or so, but we have to move on and move on quickly and get the playoffs under way and everybody in the frame of mind to keep progressing,” he stated.
Be ‘more professional’
Anthony Patrick, coach of Racing United, said his only disappointment was that the final round of matches was allowed to proceed with the decision still pending.
“There is no way something like this should take place and the JFF committee allow the competition to continue without a ruling.
“People must have a clear mind of what is in front of them. You can’t just allow things like this, and after, do the ruling,” he said.
“As a coach, there are things you are in charge of. I am in charge of my team and trying to get them to do the right things.
“Even my management, getting them to fully understand what to do and what not to do, as this is the first season.
“So educating them on how we go forward and do things is very important. But they have to be better, more professional, as this is one of the top leagues in the Caribbean, and we have to treat it better than this,” he stated.
Early last week, Cavalier Soccer Club filed a complaint that Mount Pleasant recent acquisitions, Exilus and Johnson, were registered with Real Hope FC and played for the Haitian club up until February, after the January transfer window was closed.
The players played in the Concacaf Champions Cup for Real Hope against the Mexican club Cruz Azul on February 4 and 11 before joining Mount Pleasant and playing six matches for the club between April 10 and 27, having reportedly been contracted to the St Ann team during the January transfer window.
However, the JFF Competitions Committee ruled that Article 6.1 of the regulation, i. e. the FIFA regulations on the status on transfer of players, states that as an exception to the rule, a player can be transferred outside of the established window if the player’s contract has expired close to the end of the transfer window and if the player’s contract was terminated close to the end of the transfer window.
The JFF Competitions Committee said it has in its possession all termination letters and international transfer certifications, which indicate that the players were duly transferred to Mount Pleasant.
“What is clear is that the breach was done by the players’ former club and not Mount Pleasant FA,” the release read.
As it relates to the alleged breach of seven foreign players being placed on the match card in a game, the release said the committee acknowledged that the regulations stipulate that a maximum of six players may be on the field of play at any given time.
However, Article 17.3 of the 2024-25 JPL regulations says that any club that fields an ineligible player (participated in the game) shall lose the game. From the match card received, the committee noted that only five players participated in the game.
“The article further states that where a player named appears on the team sheet/match card as a list of players available to participate. The club will be fined $25,000.
“We have acknowledged that a breach has occurred in this instance, hence the Mount Pleasant FA will be fined accordingly,” the release stated
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