ADDIS ABABA – The season’s Ethiopian Premier League, EPL, is set to begin on November 23, the country’s football governing body, the Ethiopian Football Federation, EFF announced. According to the calendar of the season 16 teams will take part in the new season as it was before.
The season’s EPL will be managed by the newly formed League Committee, according to the federation. The head of this committee is Fekade Mamo who is the board chairman of Coffee FC. The other members of the committee include representatives from the Amhara, Oromia, and the Southern regional states. The chairman Fekadu is the Addis Ababa representative.
The committee held its first meeting last week and gave instructions to all EPL participating clubs. According to the committee’s statement Dire Dawa City, Wolayita Dicha, Adama City, Hadiya-Hosaina City, Wolkite City, Sebeta City and Jimma Abajifar were told to improve the condition of their home turf.
The committee made it clear that their stadiums need to have fences that separate the fans from the pitch and the wings of the fans seat are not separated by fences,
The committee insisted that if this is not fulfilled official EPL matches will not take place in their home turf. Making fence will help avoid the possible attack of the hooligans at the stadium.
In addition to this all stadiums must have shower rooms, dressing rooms and parking for the guest teams. The local administration is responsible to protect the guest teams and to provide peace and security in the area.
The participants in the committee meeting expressed delight by the bold measure taken by the newly formed League Committee. There has always been security breach in and around the stadium.
It seems now the EPL will follow the previous 16-team home and away format. But, a month or so ago the Ethiopian Football Federation, EFF, announced to introduce a new Ethiopian Premier League, EPL, format with 24 teams. According to the Federation all 16 EPL sides are included in the 24-team EPL.
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.
Before the introduction of the EPL in the 1997/98 season, football competitions first take place in different regions. Then, the winners the second phase will play for Ethiopian championship.
This was practiced for nearly 24 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.
What is new this time is the formation of the League Committee. The EPL 16-team format will remain in place.
The Ethiopian Herald October 22, 2019
BY SOLOMON BEKELE
