FKF mum on Fifa league report

A Fifa delegation that was recently in the country to mediate on the feud between Football Kenya Federation and Kenyan Premier League over the composition of the league has finalised its report.

FKF on Sunday confirmed receiving the report that recommends a way out of the stalemate and spells out the working relation between the two bodies.

The Fifa trio of Ashford Mamelodi, Robert Niemann and James Johnson held separate meetings with representatives from the two bodies.

FKF did not divulge the contents of the report in a statement issued yesterday. The federation warned Kenyans to desist from speculation, saying that a Joint Executive Meeting will be held on Wednesday before a Special General Meeting set for Friday where the matter is expected to be discussed further.

BONE OF CONTENTION

“Football Kenya Federation wishes to confirm that we have received the report by a consultant appointed by Fifa to advise on the implications of an expanded Kenya Premier League. “The consultant report is not a directive but only a recommendation, to which Fifa has asked that we consider an amicable solution.

“Kenyans are hereby advised not to get into any speculation about this matter because the consultant’s report is not binding but only an opinion which Zurich wants that we consider in our ongoing deliberations under the auspices of the Joint Executive Committee,” the statement read.

FKF said the report would be debated by its National Executive Committee before being presented to KPL and “through the appropriate channels of communication”.

The federation wants an expanded 18-team league while KPL prefers 16 teams. The latter argues that an expanded league would be “too expensive to manage”. Another bone of contention has been the broadcast rights. Whereas KPL has had long running engagement with Supersport, FKF entered into a parallel broadcast agreement with Italian based firm MP and Silva.