Kenya will appeal: FKF President Nyamweya says the ban was harsh, to search for new coach

Harambee Stars head coach Adel Amrouche at the City Stadium conducting training. The coach has been slapped with a one year ban by CAF. [PHOTO: BONIFACE OKENDO/STANDARD]

Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche will be left out to hang and dry until he clears his one year ban.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Sam Nyamweya confirmed yesterday the country will not be held at ransom, even as they plan to appeal the lengthy ban imposed on the Belgian coach by the Confederation of African Football (CAF)

“We are in the middle of a serious Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualifier campaign and need a substantive coach to handle the team. In case our appeal is rejected, we will have to look for another alternative,” he revealed.

Nyamweya, however, expressed shock over the one year ban.

“We are shocked at the severity of the ban. It is very harsh and we will certainly appeal. We don’t think he deserves such a ban,” said Nyamweya.

Nyamweya was, however, quick to confirm that in case their appeal is not successful and the ban stands, then the federation will have no choice but to look for an option. Nyamweya said they are disappointed by CAF’s decision on a coach, who he said had done a lot for the country.

Fifa ranking

“He has turned around our football and helped us rise in the Fifa rankings. We have a lot in the pipeline with him and his ban is therefore a major set-back for us. We hope it will be resolved in a positive way,” he said.

Amrouche himself said the ban is not justified and harsh.

“This is unbelievable. It is very harsh. I did not do what they are accusing me of doing and I intend to appeal against the ban,” he said.

On Monday, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced it had suspended Amrouche for one year escalating a two match ban it had slapped on the coach.

The verdict

The CAF Disciplinary Board under the chairmanship of Raymond Hack from South Africa had its sitting last Thursday at CAF headquarters in Cairo and it is here that the decision to suspend Amrouche was ratified after finding him guilty of spitting at a match official.

Amrouche was accused of spitting at the fourth official during Kenya’s match against Comoros last month. The offence saw him get sent off.
In its ruling, the board found Amrouche guilty of breaching article 129 (c) of its rules which provides for a 12 match ban to anyone spitting at a match official.

Amrouche, however, escaped without any fine as the offence he is alleged to have committed can attract a huge penalty.

“The suspension is effective from the first day of the notification namely July 20,2014,” said a letter from CAF secretariat to FKF.

The letter further states that this decision will be forwarded to world governing body Fifa, which may extend the sanction internationally meaning that Amrouche cannot coach any team anywhere in the world during the period of suspension.

“The decision can be contested before CAF appeal board. The party intending to appeal shall announce this intention in writing within three days of notification of the decision,” added the letter from CAF. — [email protected]

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