Failure to complete the Uganda Premier League season needs to be the very last option on the table.
Lots of angles and scenarios have been looked for various leagues in the world – ranging from the English Premier League to the Italian Serie A.
For most leagues, there is speculation and lots of opinions but all these remains guesses, at least for now.
If, and it is a huge if, the season cannot be completed then there is no way you can have a winner or loser for most leagues in the world but not the Uganda Premier League where the rules and regulations are clear on wins the title and who is relegated.
In Uganda’s case, where government banned all events including football for 32 days due to Covid19 pandemic, current log leaders Vipers will be champions if it goes beyond making it tough to finish the season.
This is in relation to article 18 of the Fufa Competition Rules and Regulations that talk about Failure to Complete the League stating that; Where the league format due to circumstances of force majeure fails to be completed within the season, the league winner shall be determined as follows;
- Before each and every club has completed its first round fixture of the league shall be declared null and void.
- Where all the clubs in the league have completed the first round fixture but less than 75% league games have been played, the table standings at the end of the first round shall be considered as the final table standing of the league.
- Where at least one club has played 75% of the league games, the following formula shall be used by the TOC to determine the table position for the respective group.
- Total number of points earned from the number of games played multiplied by the total number of games supposed to be played divided by the number of games played.
With 25 rounds of the league complete, Vipers log leaders with 54 points are champions since 75% of the league has been played.
In the same line, Proline, Toro United and Maroons could be relegated if the season isn’t completed.
1991 Precedent
In 1991, KCCA were declared league winners with three rounds of the season not played.
There was a long feud between two rivals SC Villa and KCCA over players before the season started.
“The worst came in September 1991, when Fufa General Secretary and former KCC player/coach Moses Nsereko was gunned down at his Wampewo flat residence,” narrated Hassan Badru Zziwa of The Observer.
“KCC fans cried foul and threatened not to play in the league again and before the dust had settled, KCC club treasurer Elvis Adipondo also passed on. At the time, KCC led the table with only three rounds of the league left. Then came a new twist when Fufa, with only one month to go before hosting the Cecafa Cup, ordered the National Football League Committee (NFLC) to call off the league.”
As a result, NFLC invoked a provision which allows the declaration of a champion if 75% of the league is played. This provision handed the Tom Lwanga side the league title amid discontent from SC Villa faithful.
