Adrian Frater, News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:
TWO PEOPLE were slapped with life bans and fines totalling more than $100,000 were dished out by the management committee of the Jamaica Football Federation's (JFF) Western Confederation yesterday in Negril following a hearing into last Thursday's Captain's Bakery Western Super League game between Granville and Montpelier.
In addition to the bans and fines, Western Confederation president Everton Tomlinson, who chaired the meeting, said a decision has been taken that the game should be replayed without spectators as both teams had a hand in the disruption. The game will be replayed tomorrow at the Frome Sports Ground in Westmoreland starting at 1:00 p.m.
The people facing life bans are Alfanso Pesso and Preston Moodie, both executive members of the Montpelier team. They were also handed $20,000 and $10,000 fines respectively. In addition, Montpelier have been asked to furnish information on an unidentified woman who assaulted referee Clifference Daley during the fracas, so action can be taken against her.
ADDITIONAL FINES
In addition to the individual fines, Montpelier were slapped with a $50,000 fine for their failure to contain their supporters. Granville were fined $30,000 for the part in the brawl which resulted in a number of persons sustaining injuries as they fled in panic as bottles and other missiles rained down on the venue.
"We believe that justice was being served by the ruling that we made today," said Tomlinson, following the meeting. "We hope the action taken will be a strong message to those who believe it is okay to make trouble at football games."
Tomlinson said the manage-ment committee had also made a decision not to entertain any appeals of the life bans against Pesso and Moodie until at least four years had elapsed.
However, he said the teams and individuals were at liberty to appeal the monetary fines against them.
"We believe we have a duty to protect the image of our football and if that means putting out those who are disruptive, we are prepared to do," said Tomlinson. "We decided on the replay because we thought that it would not have been a good idea to allow the players to suffer because of the indiscretions of their fans."
The game came to an abrupt end during the penalty shoot-out phase when referee Daley ordered that a penalty kick that Montpelier's goalkeeper, Davian Garwood, had saved should be retaken. The decision angered the Montpelier fans, who attacked the referee and then became involved in an ugly brawl with Granville supporters.
