Football Kenya Federation (FKF) have confirmed they will face sanctions from the Confederation of African Football (Caf) after Gor Mahia were officially kicked out of the Champions League for the upcoming season.
What started as rumours on social media on Thursday became a reality on Sunday after the African body released a list of 54 teams that have been shortlisted for the competition’s draw set for this Friday in Cairo.
Gor were already facing expulsion from the competition after they failed to pay former players – Congolese striker Yangayay Sando Sando, Burundian attacker Jules Ulimwengu, and Malian goalkeeper Adama Keita – their accrued dues from salaries and allowances as ordered by the world governing body Fifa.
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Despite efforts by FKF to have Gor Mahia reinstated, Caf will proceed with the draw minus the Kenyan giants and according to President Nick Mwendwa the decision will see the African body sanction FKF for what he described as “lying.”
“We did our best to have Gor Mahia in the draw but I am shocked just like you to see the final list of the 54 teams set for the draw minus Gor Mahia’s name,” said Mwendwa, adding: “It is good for people outside there to know that as FKF, we did our best but it is now out of our hands.”
Mwendwa added: “In fact, Caf will sanction FKF for lying; they will come to us soon for issuing a certificate to Gor Mahia while they had not paid and cleared with the three players in question, so we are expecting a fine.”
When asked why Caf did not allow Kenya to get a replacement, Mwendwa said: “It was not possible to replace Gor Mahia because the Caf deadline for teams to take part in the competition had already elapsed.”
Gor Mahia were scheduled to make a return to the competition, having missed out on the last two campaigns. In the previous season, Tusker represented Kenya by virtue of winning the league title while last year, Kenya did not have a representative as the country was serving a Fifa ban.