ADDIS ABABA – Participants of the Ethiopian Premier League sides are anxiously waiting for the final decision of the season’s Ethiopian Premier League, EPL, whose fate remains pending.
First, the Addis Ababa clubs requested the change of format looking at the dramatic increase of crowed disturbance and the prevalence of lack of good governance by the football body. The country’s football governing body, the Ethiopian football Federation, EFF, showed poor quality management in particular at the season that was concluded in June.
A number of forfeiture was seen in the season unseen in the past. The final three matches were full of controversy. After the EFF decided not to change the games schedule, the St. George match against Shire Sihul was postponed citing security reason. St. George complained but it was unheard.
Following that St. George decided not to show up in the remaining two matches. As a result they conceded two defeats in a row on forfeiture. By the same token Fasil city appealed to the EFF for unfair and vulgar treatment in Mekele during the match against Dedebit but the EFF showed no sign of reaction. In the final day match Fasil City made similar complaints but it was not heard.
Looking at this, in the wake of the end of the EPL the Addis Ababa Football Federation opted to have a new format. The Addis sides such as St. George and Coffee stood behind the introduction of this new format.
A couple of months after the idea of introducing new format was in the air, EFF came out with a sort of new kinds of format. Accordingly, the EFF stated, a 24-team new format is drafted to be introduced as an option for this season. In view of the federation the 24 teams will be divided in to two groups with 12 teams each group.
Though this was presented by the EFF it was not ratified until deep and thorough discussion of clubs and stake holders takes place, according to the EFF statement. As per the plan the EFF called clubs and stakeholders for discussion over this new format a couple of weeks ago but it didn’t take place.
Reason: the Federal Sports Commission ordered the intended meeting of the Ethiopian Football Federation, EFF, to be postponed until the federation is given further notice concerning the future of the football format.
The Sports Commission didn’t come out with the new option. Based on the EFF format the previous 16 teams EPL will be changed into 24-team league.
To have 24 teams, EFF states, the last season 16 teams including the relegated three teams- Mekelakeya, South Police and Dedebit will join the 24-team new league format. Then the three sides – Sebeta City, Wolkite City and Hosana-Hadiya City- who were promoted from the Super League and three runners up from the Super league will join the new 24-team league. The best two sides from the third placed Super League will also join the new league to make the teams 24.
The Sports Commission who had a plan to come up with another format as an alternative didn’t produce such option until this time. In the meantime, EFF called clubs to gather their opinions about the new 24-team format last Thursday but clubs expressed their dissatisfaction over the clumsy work of the EFF. So until now the future format of the new season is not yet set.
The Addis Ababa Football Federation, AAFF, has earlier raised a very serious issue concerning the capacity of EFF to run the country’s football. It seems the Sports Commission shares similar view with the AAFF.
What is true is the Sports Commission has no power to force the EFF to step down. If that is done it is automatic that the world football governing body, FIFA, will intervene in to the matter claiming the unlawful interference of the government in to football administration.
That is likely to pave the way to ban the EFF. The federation faced that kind of FIFA suspension 12 or so years ago. That was resolved when election took place with strict FIFA observation. As a result of the election Sahilu Gebrewold became the next EFF President after the controversial former President Dr. Ashebir Woldegiorgis resigned before voting started.
But, the Sports Commission has the capacity to advice the EFF to change the format and make administrative changes within the federation. Nearly all participating football clubs belong to the government in Ethiopia. This shows that the government is the major stakeholders in football.
Using this power it is possible to give directives to the EFF to follow a different format that possibly minimize crowed disturbance in the new season.
For now in addition to the EFF format, AAFF brought an alternative format. According to this format each region and administrative cities will first play their internal championship.
Then the winners and the runners up will qualify for the Ethiopian championship that will be played at one selected venue. This, according to AAFF, will reduce the huge transportation and hotel cost of each club that is spent during the EPL home and away matches.
The Ethiopian Herald October 1, 2019
BY SOLOMON BEKELE
