Seasoned football administrator, Lordvick Aduda, says the decision by world football governing body Fifa to snub Kenya in the selection of World Cup referees underlines the mess the country has plunged itself into.
Fifa on Wednesday selected eight referees from Africa to officiate in the upcoming 2022 World Cup starting in November in Qatar.
Kenya brushed Fifa the wrong way after Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed disbanded the Football Kenya Federation and constituted a Caretaker Committee to run the sport.
Seven of the eight referees selected are among the 10 referees who officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations in March and there was hope that one of the Kenyan referees who took part in the show would be roped in.
During the continental showpiece, Kenyan referee Peter Waweru Kamaku served in the VAR booth while compatriot Gilbert Cheruiyot was assigned as an assistant referee.
“Kenya's suspension by Fifa has affected all stakeholders, including match officials who had been earmarked to officiate in World Cup matches,” Aduda said.
“It's quite unfortunate that Gilbert Cheruiyot and Maryanne Njoroge have missed out on a lifetime opportunity given they won't be available for selection,” Aduda said.
Aduda said the country's capacity to enhance its technical development was also being hampered given both Fifa and the continental football governing body, Caf, had held back plans to dispatch instructors.
Aduda also drew attention to the threat by sponsors to abandon parastatal clubs. “Already there are sponsors who are threatening to withdraw their support. I've gathered information that Nzoia Sugar might soon be a casualty.
“That's because the sponsors are concerned that they are pumping funds into a league that is not recognized by Fifa,” Aduda said.
Aduda revealed that the spiral effect of the ongoing scenario is quite immense, adding that the recent ratification of Kenya's suspension by Fifa should be a cause for concern.
“The fact that we have 198 delegates in the conference ratifying the decision and only one opposed to it is a serious indication of the problem we are grappling with.”
Aduda said it was now upon Kenya to make the right decision.
“The suspension can be viewed as both definite and indefinite. Definite because it was ratified and indefinite because it can be lifted if we follow the right procedures,” Aduda said.
Aduda said a Special General Assembly meeting held by 44 delegates drawn from the FKF branches across the country on March 26 revoked the powers of the National Executive Committee of the expelled federation. “The delegates invoked Article 24(4) of the FKF constitution which effectively means the federation doesn't exist anymore,” Aduda said.
“The Fifa statutes state that member associations should be left to resolve their issues without interference by a third party,” Aduda said.
He pointed out that there is no way the FKF Caretaker Committee appointed by Sports CS Amina would have been allowed to lay the ground for the election of new officials.
“The Caretaker Committee has got no mandate to conduct elections the same way it lacks the mandate to amend the constitution,” Aduda said.
