Can Maroons and Tooro United's Petitions Against Relegation Be Successful?

On Friday 19th June, 2020, news of the two sides emerged as they are protesting against the decision by Uganda's football governing body FUFA to prematurely end the 2019/2020 season which saw league table leaders Vipers crowned champions and Proline FC, Maroons FC and Tooro United relegated.

Proline immediately through their press notice accepted the ruling but now the two sides (Maroons and Proline) had this to say..

"As stakeholders, we are aggrieved by the decision (to end the 2019/20 season abruptly) and the process in which it was taken. We are hereby appealing against the decision".

He we take a look at when such a decision in Ugandan football was last taken and see the chances of the petitioners getting justice as they claim.

In 1991, KCCA were declared Uganda Premier League Champions with the season ending prematurely. This came about due the increased tension between SC Villa and KCCA resulting from the assassination of KCCA legend Moses Nsereko. The blame was taken on SC Villa's hostility who also claimed that their player Paul Hasule's one year ban from football after man handling a referee was steered by KCCA.

Uganda was also going to host CECAFA and the continued progress of SC Villa and KCCA to the next levels of African club championships left no room for the league to be continued and hence was scrapped, declaring KCCA champions with three rounds left. This was done by enacting article 18 of FUFA which stipulates that for any scenario that brings about need to end the league prematurely, the team leading the table after 75% of the matches will be declared champions and the ones in relegation will be relegated.

By virtue of the fact that the decision was reached up on by enacting an article in the FUFA constitution means the petioners in this case stands very meagre chances of winning possibly not any.