Eastern Football Association (EFA) champions Valtrin have been confirmed as a qualifier to this year’s National Gas Company National Super League scheduled to take place later this year.
In addition Valtrin were also awaiting a ruling by the Competition and Tournaments Committee of the T&T Football Association after Fire Services of the Central Football Association (CFA) protested their use of an unregistered player – Jamal Lucas, during an encounter on April 4.
But yesterday the CTC ruled in favour of Valtrin, citing a blunder in the Eastern Football Association for an incomplete transfer document for Lucas.
It said the club should not have to suffer due to mistakes by the regional association. Linus Sanchez, the EFA president admitted the blunder was made during the Neville Ferguson-led EFA last year before the Annual General Meeting and Election of Officers on November 19.
However, it appears as though the mistake may have stemmed from Chaguanas FC, the club Lucas represented previously. Documents from Lucas’ transfer to Valtrin showed he was not given a release from the Central club last year.
Sanchez explained the constitution of the EFA gives his association the right to transfer a player from a club if there is a reluctance by the club to release him.
“The transfer document enables players to state if they want to leave a club and this was clearly highlighted by Lucas, but the area for the club to release him was blank. This suggests the club may have been unwilling to release him” Sanchez explained.
Attempts to reach officials of Chaguanas FC proved futile. General Secretary of the CFA Clynt Taylor confirmed Chaguanas FC management did not want to release Lucas.
He explained that when transferring a player the club seeking the player, must contact the club that the player is registered with and both must agree in writing.
This document is then brought to us (CFA) and we will conduct a search to ensure that the player is a bonafide member of the club he is leaving, before a fee of $200 is taken up as a charge.”
In his attempt to provide further clarity to the situation, Taylor said once the player has been confirmed officially as a member of a team in their zone, the fee is collected and the transfer certificate given.
The ruling means Valtrin have topped the standing with a superior goal difference of plus-6 with the Youth Stars in second position and Carenage United, which has lost just one game in the play-offs in third.
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