African Stars banned from NPL for two years

African Stars have been expelled from the Namibia Premier League for two football seasons, the league body announced on Friday morning.

The decision to cancel the club’s membership was taken at the NPL Extra Ordinary General Assembly meeting held on Thursday evening.

Additionally, club chairman Sidney Martin and director Clint Dauti have also been “suspended from all NPL-related activities for a period of two full seasons, with immediate effect”.

Thursday’s assembly also hit the country’s best supported club with a N$200 000 fine, which shall be payable in two instalments with the first instalment due on or before 15 August 2014.

Stars also received a two-year suspended suspension, subject to the provision that African Stars SC (PTY) LTD shall not be found guilty of a similar contravention of the statutes of football and rules and regulations.

The football authorities also declared that “no change of status of an existing NPL club can be exchanged to and purchased by and or transfer to that of African Stars SC (PTY) Ltd and or come under the leadership of the above mentioned suspended chairman and director of African Stars SC (PTY) Ltd for the duration of the two years.”

Stars are aggrieved that they were expelled and sanctioned without appearing before a disciplinary hearing and have indicated that they will utilise their option to appeal their suspension.

NPL chairman Johnny Doëseb also wants the club to “offer a public apology within 48 hours of the suspension having taken effect.

Stars’ cessation from the NPL stemmed from their alleged contravention of provisions of the NPL Constitution Article 25.1, when the club lodged two court cases against the Namibia Football Association, the NPL and its eleven other members.

“Those acts were deemed to be in direct contravention of the NPL Constitution, which expressly prohibits football matters to be resolved in court,” said Doëseb.