ADDIS ABABA – The Ethiopian Football Federation, EFF, announced to introduce a new Ethiopian Premier League, EPL, format with 24 teams in two groups for this season. According to the Federation all 16 EPL sides are included in the 24-team EPL.
This means the three relegated sides Dedebit, Mekelakeya and South Police will remain in the top flight. Plus the three sides who are promoted for the season’s EPL – Sebeta City, Hadiya-Hosaina and Wolkite City – will be added in the parade.
The runners-up in the Super League – Insurance, Legetafo and Arbaminch City are also expected to join the 24 sides elite league. The remaining two will be the best third from Super League.
The EFF plans that
the 24 teams will be divided in to two groups with 12 teams each. The two
groups will carry on two-round matches separately. The top four sides from the
two groups will fight for title on knock out basis.
If this format is ratified by the General Assembly that will take place very shortly (exact date is not known) it means the Southern region will have seven representatives in EPL, Addis Ababa and Oromia 5 each and Tigray 4. Amhara will have 2 while Dire Dawa will be represented with one side.
Earlier, the Addis Ababa Football Federation, AAFF, has announced to implement a new league format which was disclosed during the one day seminar held at the Intercontinental Hotel three weeks ago.
By then AAFF presented papers that show the deficiency of the last season Ethiopian Premier League, EPL, format and the benefit of the newly anticipated format. According to their suggestion AAFF wants to have the league to be formed on regional or city levels as it was before.
Before the introduction of the EPL in the 1997/98 season, football competitions first take place in different regions. First, the Addis Ababa teams play with each other for its own championship; Dire Dawa, Tigray, Oromia and Amhara regions followed the same format at that time. This internal championship comes to a close mostly in February.
Then the second phase begins. That was among regional winners for Ethiopian championship. What was true was that the cost of a club was by far below compared to the home and away EPL current format. That was simply because the Ethiopian championship takes place only in one venue in a short span of time among no greater than eight sides.
This was practiced for nearly24 years until the EPL was introduced in the 1997/98 season. Before the 1974 revolution that brought the military rule into the country, the home and away games between Shewa (Addis Ababa), Eritrea and Hararghe sides were played.
Even at that period, those who promote to the Ethiopian championship first play in their respective region. It can be said that the internal competition was a qualifier for the Ethiopian Championship.
The home and away games that was in place at that time was interrupted in the wake of the 1974 revolution citing high transportation and accommodation cost.
After that a new format was introduced. After completing the internal competition eight clubs were playing in one venue to be the Ethiopian champions. Only the champions and the holders of the Ethiopian knock out trophy were allowed to take part in the African Champions league and knock out cup.
What AAFF now wants is the introduction of this one. First playing the internal championship and then to contend for the Ethiopian Championship in one venue. The problem now is the political landscape does not allow introducing this kind of format.
The serious problem is that football competitions are currently related with ethnicity. A defeat of the side is seen by the fans not as a defeat of football but as defeat of their ethnicity. As a result of this playing and getting the full three points with win against the home regional teams has become literally impossible.
Considering this the fight against discrimination and prejudice in sports took place in many places in the year just concluded. The sports officials openly declared that there is no tolerance against those who are prejudiced based on their ethnic, religious and social background.
Different events took place for seven days to fight against this newly surfaced prejudice in the sports arena.
The Ethiopian Boxing Federation has organized a contest on the theme of ‘Stop Discrimination and Prejudice in Sports’.
Another grand mass sport was also held at Meskel square by the same theme ‘Stop Discrimination and Prejudice in Sports.’ The event brought together thousands of people including the Deputy Mayer of Addis Ababa Takele Uma.
The Mayer called the people to attend mass sport in order to diffuse the issue by rejecting isolationist ideas within the young people. He said that sport is the best instrument to pave way for pluralism.
In the delivery of presentation it is possible to show ugly face of Ethnicity or Prejudice.
Plus the cost of accommodation and transportation during travel for EPL matches became exorbitant. To make matters worse, the EFF failed to have standard stadiums in different venues. In most cases, the pitch doesn’t have fence that protect the players from possible crowed disturbances.
Conclusion: The federation brought a new format as a way out to dilute the opposition that stems from the cumulative effect of the EPL. Last season was the worst of all. Bringing a new format by adding five teams from the Super League means a campaign to gain vote when the issue is discussed in the coming General Assembly.
This doesn’t look like beneficial for the development of football. The Addis Ababa clubs have already requested for a clarification on the new format before it is presented to the General Assembly.
The Ethiopian Herald September 17, 2019
BY SOLOMON BEKELE
