Opinion: FKF Promotion and Relegation Rules Were Set Early and Well Known to Clubs

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Sportpesa Premier League relegation rules and the National Super League promotion rules were set well in time and communicated to all clubs. They were agreed upon by all teams participating in the two top tier leagues.

Debate that has arisen, following the relegation of the bottom three teams in the Sportpesa Premier League, and subsequent promotion of the top three teams in the National Super League, must therefore be impugned at the very onset.

FKF publicly scrapped the promotion/relegation playoff between the Kenyan Premier League and the National Super League, opting instead for a straight exchange of three teams.

The decision means Sofapaka, Bidco United and Kariobangi Sharks, by dint of finishing their league campaign, at the bottom of the league were relegated from the Kenyan Premier League, while Migori Youth FC, 3K FC and Mombasa United gained promotion to the top tier.

 The move has now however, and expected triggered a legal battle, with affected parties challenging the decision. For starters, the decision was reached at from the onset of the federation’s leagues and all teams, hoping to win the respective leagues, failed to raise their objections to the new rule.

That three teams are set to be relegated from the Kenyan Premier League was therefore not an action taken without prior participation by the team. That the teams face the axe will therefore be validly relegated, after ending their league campaign at positions 16, 17 and 18 is therefore bidding.

For teams to play out an entire season therefore without reservations is unjustified. However, trying to coerce the federation into organizing a promotion/relegation playoff is an afront at the face of the federation.

Having played the entire season without raising concern is therefore in bad faith and must not be used to lead the FKF into changing rules that are bound to affect other teams.