Confusion rocks Kenya Volleyball as stakeholders question league ruling

A decision by Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) to award last season’s runners-up Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) maximum points for a league match where the Mombasa-based side fielded players considered ineligible has created an outcry.

In a letter addressed to the club’s team manager following an appeal for points for their clashes against Trailblazers and Prisons Nairobi, KVF handed the side points for the said match that had previously been thought to have been awarded to the opponent.

The match in question against the Nairobi-based warders saw KPA field Peter Kamara and Dennis Omollo, both having had professional stints this season but returned to the country after their employers allegedly terminated their contracts.

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KPA had also appealed to be handed points from their loss against Trailblazers on the basis that the latter had fielded foreign players that did not have International Transfer Certificates. 

“National Executive Committee held its meeting on 24.06.2023 and extensively deliberated on this matter. The resolutions made were that a) Your (KPA) appeal against Trailblazers Volleyball team on eligibility of players did not show any substantial evidence, and that the matter has already been overtaken by events, Trailblazers participation is therefore upheld.

The National Sports Organising Secretary to note b) The KPA appeal against Nairobi Prisons Volleyball Club was considered and the Committee upheld your match against them. The National Sports Organising Secretary is therefore directed to uphold the results,” a communication seen by Mozzart Sport on the matter reads.

Team managers and coaches of other teams are up in arms saying that a pre-season meeting held before the season served off agreed that none of the players that had enjoyed professional stints would not be allowed back to their parent teams for the same season.

KPA appealed a decision to dock them points for fielding the duo, arguing that under the FIVB rules new transfers are permitted within the transfer period after pre-mature contract terminations.

“Should the contractual relationship between Receiving Club and player end during the Transfer period, the FIVB must receive a release letter signed by both parties (Receiving Club and player) indicating the date of the termination.

Only after receipt of this documentation may the player be permitted a new international transfer,” FIVB’s stipulation on the matter says.

A source privy to the details of the case told Mozzart Sport that the release letters for the two players had not been received when they featured in the clash against Prisons Nairobi, a claim the publication has not been able to ascertain but is following up on.

However, the dockers maintain that the released standings at the conclusion of the regular season, putting them in third place tied on points with fourth-placed Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) should be upheld as they followed the right channels to present an appeal that was granted.