NSL: Zoo FC pulls out of second-tier tourney

Derby County

Zoo FC have been relegated to the third tier league by world football governing body Fifa.

Photo credit: Pool

What you need to know:

  • On Saturday, the club boycotted their match against league leaders Administration Police Service-Bomet citing a vacuum in the management of football activities in the country.
  • Sports CS Amina Mohamed via Gazette notice dated June 17 on Saturday extended the mandate of FKF Transition Committee which ended on June 14 for the next two months.

National Super League (NSL) side Zoo FC Sunday announced the club had pulled out from the 2021/22 season over match manipulation and poor officiating.

According to a statement issued by the club chairman Ken Ochieng’, the team will not continue participating in a disorderly mismanaged league, which is a betrayal to Fifa, Confederation of African Football (Caf) and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) statutes.

The statement further indicated that the government had ignored the FKF standing committees and judicial bodies and gone ahead to arbitrarily appoint another committee in disregard of the FKF constitution that they ought to have religiously upheld.

Speaking to Nation Sport on phone, Ochieng’ said participating in an already contaminated league at the expense of unresolved grievances was a waste of time.

“We hereby immediately withdraw from the Football Kenya Federation Transition Committee organised and run NSL 2021/22 season. To our dearest and most loyal set of fans and admirers, the dream remains afloat” Ochieng’ said.

Eight clubs drawn from NSL and Divison One had on May 20 moved to court accusing the FKF Transiton Committee and the FKF Independent Disciplinary and Arbitrary Committee of failing to solve match disputes.

Among the clubs that filed the petition through lawyers Ken Ochieng and Japheth Muyendo are Migori Youth, Dandora Love, Gusii FC and Zoo FC.

Others are Kamungei, Kisumu All Stars, Mwatate United, Coastal Heroes and sports journalist, Francis Okello, who was also enjoined in the petition.

The said clubs had also raised issues in regard to biased officiating, insecurity in match venues and delay in paying match officials.  The matter is still in court pending determination.

Currently Zoo are ranked eighth on the NSL table with 41 points managed from 27 matches.

APS Bomet topp the standings with 57 points from 29 matches. The league is set to enter round 32 next weekend.

On Saturday, the club boycotted their match against league leaders Administration Police Service-Bomet citing a vacuum in the management of football activities in the country.

Sports CS Amina Mohamed via Gazette notice dated June 17 on Saturday extended the mandate of FKF Transition Committee which ended on June 14 for the next two months.