By Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THERE IS some degree of confusion concerning the status of Owen Cunningham the president of Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) club Reno of Westmoreland.
Cunningham, along with Wendell Dawson, were both banned indefinitely by the Westmoreland Football Association following an incident during a Westmoreland FA Division One game in March 2000 between their club, Westland, and Deans Valley FC.
Secretary of the Westmoreland FA and Western Confederation, Copeland Bailey, stated that the men were hauled in front of the Westmoreland FA's Disciplinary Committee after they brought a game into disrepute.
It is understood that Cunningham and Dawson had protested the issuing of a red card to one of their players who was sent off along with a member of the Deans Valley team after they had gotten involved in a fight during a game.
NOT QUALIFIED
The Gleaner was told that they refused to accept the findings of the disciplinary Committee, however, stating that its members were 'not qualified' to rule on the matter.
The committee wrote to the Westmoreland FA recommending that the club be banned for three years and both men indefinitely but they could appeal after three years.
Bailey said that the men had appealed to the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) which in turn referred the matter to the Western Confederation, which upheld the decision. Bailey said that while the Reno club fell under the auspices of the Westmoreland FA, they had no control over persons elected or nominated to executive positions.
He also said neither Cunningham nor Dawson had paid the $10,000 fine that was levied against each of them and so were not eligible for reinstatement to any level of football under the JFF's banner.
Cunningham has, however, been listed by the JFF among the executives of the former three-time NPL champions.
NO COMMENT
When contacted, Cunningham said he had no comment and referred The Gleaner to the JFF.
However, General Secretary of the JFF, Horace Reid, told The Gleaner that they only became aware of the matter recently and had started investigations.
Reid said they were seeking to set up a meeting with the club to sort out the matter and in the meanwhile had asked Cunningham not to represent the club at any JFF meetings.
He related that on one occasion the JFF had to call Cunningham and asked him not to turn up for a meeting that was being held with NPL clubs at the JFF's New Kingston headquarters.
Reid said Cunningham had written to the JFF to say his ban had been lifted as of March 31 this year and added that the president of the JFF, Captain Horace Burrell, had made some attempts to convene a meeting to deal with the situation.
Fitzroy Cooper, vice-president of Reno, told The Gleaner that to his knowledge nothing was communicated to the club re: the status of Cunningham and said it was something that needs to be sorted out by the JFF.
Cooper, who is also the treasurer for the Westmoreland FA and the Western Confederation, said while he was aware of the incident that took place in 2000 he could not give details of the findings or the punishment that was handed out.
