Express have described the Uganda Premier League’s decision to fine them and also playing behind closed doors in their next home game as unfair.
The 6-time league champions were fined Ugx. 0.3 Million and also ordered to play their next home game, against Bright Stars minus the fans following a match referee’s report that condemned the Red Eagles for assaulting the assistant referee in the one-all draw with Kirinya Jinja SS.
Reacting to the decision, acting Express CEO Hamza Jjunju said the UPL secretariat is being unfair in giving them a double punishment.
“To say I’m furious would be putting it mildly,” Express acting Chief Executive Officer Hamza Jjunju told Kawowo Sports. “I understand that violence is a big problem, a problem everywhere in the world but why should we be double punished?” he asked.
According to Jjunju, the club is willing to pay the fine but have asked the secretariat on whether it’s fair to again restrict the fans from watching the games yet they are the club’s main source of funding through gate collections.
He also said that as a club, they are against violence and have requested for video evidence to ensure they ban the fans who were involved in the act.
I called UPL secretariat to ask whether they thinks that this decision is just. What I ask is that we pay the fine, present the violent fans to UPL and ban him as a club but we need the fans since they are our source of funds.
It remains to be seen whether the UPL will revise the sanctions but as it stands, the Red Eagles will have no fans at home against Fred Kajoba coached side on October 22.
