Ohaga says normalisation committee good for Kenyan football
What you need to know:
- He also laughed off Fifa's position that it did not recognise the tribunal.
- "That was a ludicrous statement (by Fifa). There's some politics being played but I am not a politician. We (SDT) have over the years made so many decisions relating to football and it is laughable that one decision makes Fifa turn around and refuses to recognise an independent Tribunal.”
Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) chairman John Ohaga maintains the formation of a normalisation committee is the best way to resolve the crisis in Kenyan football.
In an exclusive interview with Nation Sport Sunday, Ohaga also said he was not keen on attending next month's meeting arranged by Fifa because “it has no clear agenda”.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa and other stakeholders have also been invited to the meeting which Fifa's Head of Associations Veron Monsengo-Omba said was aimed at arriving at a compromise.
Ohaga cancelled consecutive FKF polls held in December and March citing irregularities in the way the exercises were conducted.
He also ruled that a normalisation committee be formed with the help of Fifa to among other things, hold election in conformity with Kenyan and football laws.
“There are several alternatives (of solving the problem) but the first opportunity we have is to establish a normalisation committee to run the affairs of the game because the mandate of FKF's National Executive Committee (NEC) has come to an end,” said Ohaga.
"We cannot be a party to sitting down (with Fifa) and then arrive at a compromise position to an earlier ruling.
“Section 59 (of the Sports Act) allows the Tribunal to settle sports disputes and also offer expert legal advice and that is where our mandate ends. Anyone who does not agree with the ruling can appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).”
Ohaga played down fears that his ruling and a lack of compromise would result in Fifa banning Kenya.
He also laughed off Fifa's position that it did not recognise the tribunal.
"That was a ludicrous statement (by Fifa). There's some politics being played but I am not a politician. We (SDT) have over the years made so many decisions relating to football and it is laughable that one decision makes Fifa turn around and refuses to recognise an independent Tribunal.”
