Santos FC

The Appeals Board of the Kingston & St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) met on January 20, 2010 to consider an appeal lodged by the Santos Football Club against a decision of the KSAFA Competitions Committee.

The Competitions Committee had found Santos to be in breach of Article 39 of the JFF Disciplinary Code whereby the Club used an ineligible player (Dwayne Atkinson) in their Claro Super League encounter against Rae Town on December 12, 2009.

Santos FC appealed was filed on the motion that KSAFA did not distribute or inform its Affiliates of the Rules and Regulations that guides the 2009/2010 season and in particular the Claro Jackie Bell Knockout. Additionally the appeal states that the player in question was not red carded in the Claro Super League but in the Claro Jackie Bell.

After hearing submissions from Ambassador A.B. Stewart Stephenson, Legal Counsel for Santos FC and Peter Higgins, Chairman of the KSAFA Competitions Committee the following represents the decision of the KSAFA Appeals Board.

“The opinion of the Board is that from the general standpoint, KSAFA derives its authority from the JFF, who in turn derive theirs from FIFA. It is indisputable that red cards always attract penalties, one of which is always suspension. From the particular standpoint the reference to the JFF Rule in the 2009 KSAFA Rules is sufficiently explicit that no one can legitimately question its application here.

Our decision, therefore, is that the appeal should be denied”