Vipers have challenged an FFSA visa ruling and won, meaning there are no limits to visa players in State League 2
State League 2 soccer clubs are angered by a Football Federation of SA rule change which allows clubs to register an unlimited number visa players.
SA’s State League 2 competition can now field unlimited imports after Vipers challenged Football Federation SA’s visa rules and regulations when the club took on the governing body and won.
Vipers was threatened with a 15-point deduction for an alleged breach of playing too many imports.
The third-tier FIFA sanctioned competition according to Football Federation SA chief executive Michael Carter does not have to comply with Football Federation’s National Premier League rules and regulations.
“All competitions across Member Federations will have varying rules and regulations,’’ Carter said.
“Where a club has queried the use of visa players, FFSA have provided the rule relating to the number of visa players that can be played in accordance with the rules and regulations, 63(1).
“The Appeal Committee have determined that the rule is not applicable to State League 2.”
FFSA proposed to slap Vipers with a huge punishment for fielding three visa players for five matches when the FFSA’s Rules and Regulations — rule 63 (1) and (2) was unclear for visa players said Vipers president Adrian Moore.
Registrations for the new season had not been audited by FFSA until round 14 he added.
“Last year there was an incident with The Cove, the (visa) rule was ambiguous,’’ Moore said.
“The FFSA amended the rule for this year and the issue is the way FFSA apply Rule 63 (1) to State League 2, their interpretation is incorrect.”
Vipers challenged the visa ruling through FFSA’s appeals process before the governing body’s self-appointed independent disciplinary committee clarified that State League 2 clubs can play unlimited visa players.
However, the new amended FFSA unlimited visa regulation has angered The Cove chairman David Brian.
His club was docked points last year for alleged visa player breaches and was subsequently relegated to the third tier.
“I have persistently asked FFSA for (visa rules) clarification to the point where they no longer respond to my emails,’’ Brain said.
“The wording is not clear for the ruling, we went to an appeals process before we got relegated and we pointed out their wording was unclear.
“We go told “it’s clear enough for us, it’s too bad” and we got relegated.
“As a result of what happened FFSA sent out a clear message to clubs in state league 1 and 2 that if you have more than two visa players then you are subsequently in breach of whatever rule it was.”
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Eastern United’s player/chairman Steven Kidd was also bemused by the sudden change of visa rules near the end of the season claiming the competition’s integrity had been compromised.
Adelaide University also fielded three visa players and was content to accept the punishment for breaching rule 63 (1) however there was no penalty issued.
“Our visa players are all university students,” said Adelaide University committee member Frank Grauso.
“We’re a university club and if they’re good enough to we take them and we want them to play.
“It’s pointless playing two visa players in the first team and a third in the reserves, there should be a difference in going out and bringing in visa player to pay them, because we’re not paying anyone.”