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‘Improperly constituted’ - Western Confed Super League disciplinary committee criticised by Faulkland FC

Published:Saturday | March 28, 2020 | 12:25 AMKavarly Arnold/Gleaner Writer
Faulkland FC players Marvin Sangster (right) and Tyshan Hill, then of Wadadah FC, during the final of the JFF Western Confederation/Charle’s JB Rum Super League at Jarrett Park last season.
Faulkland FC players Marvin Sangster (right) and Tyshan Hill, then of Wadadah FC, during the final of the JFF Western Confederation/Charle’s JB Rum Super League at Jarrett Park last season.

Western Bureau:

Faulkland FC president Dalton Reid has accused the disciplinary committee of the Western Confederation Super League of being ‘improperly constituted.’ Reid said the body reached a wrong verdict last week regarding sanctions against two of the club’s players.

The club was fined $50,000 and players Tyshan Hill, Marvin Sangster, and Jelani Nicholson were handed bans from all football activities and fined a total of $65,000 for their involvement in a brawl during a game against Harmony FC at Jarrett Park on February 15. Richard Henry, a 17-year-old Harmony forward, received facial and chest injuries in the incident.

Reid cited section 5, Article 87.5 of the JFF Common Rules of the Judicial Bodies where it says “A member of each committee shall be a lawyer,” as proof that the committee is flawed.

“I was at the hearing and there was no attorney there, I was the only attorney present,” Reid said. “If the committee is improperly constituted, it means that any verdict that they issue ought to be wrong.”

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) general secretary Dalton Wint defended the Western Confederation Disciplinary Committee, saying the parish associations are not yet required to have a lawyer on board.

“It is per the constitution,” he said. “It is recommended by FIFA that the disciplinary committees, going forward, must have a lawyer. We recently amended ours. However, right now most parish associations don’t have that and their constitution does not speak to that, so they cannot use that to appeal.”

Western Confederation Disciplinary Committee chairman David Watt said he was not aware of the claims that a lawyer must be on the board of the disciplinary committee.

“I don’t know of that being extended to the parishes,” he said. “I don’t think the parishes disciplinary committees have a lawyer on them.

We are not aware of that, it’s the first I’m hearing of that. What I know is that it’s a directive for the JFF to have lawyers on their boards (disciplinary committee panel).”

Watt chaired the hearing on March 6 with Ronald McLean (Trelawny), Sheridan Samuels, and Darren Barnes (Hanover).