Soccer News of Saturday, 19 October 2002

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DOL Vice-Chairman amazed by Corners hypocrisy

Mr Kwame Ntow-Faiko, Vice-Chairman of the Division One League (DOL) Board has expressed shock at the hypocrisy of the management of Kumasi Cornerstone " because the club was the first beneficiary of the newly amended guidelines on promotion since they were saved from relegation having placed second in Zone 2A in the 2000 edition the DOL league."

Speaking with the GNA Sports in Accra on Friday, Mr Ntow-Faiko said if it had not been for the amendment, which was effected on December 17, 1999 at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Congress, Cornerstone who had 15 points would have joined Denkyara United who had nine points to relegation.

He said the amended guideline states that "four champions of division two league from their respective regional leagues unless otherwise barred shall be given automatic promotion to the appropriate zones in DOL.

On relegation it states, "for the number of teams to be relegated from each zone shall be defined by the promotion with respect to Premier league as it affects the zone".

"Cornerstones were not relegated because Adansiman winner of zone 2A gained promotion to the Premier League hence Cornerstones were retained with the eight teams in the zone whiles the two regional champions from Division 2 league were added" Mr Kwame Ntow-Faiko said that same year Cornerstones were saved by Police and Bogosu United who had 18 and four points respectively and were relegated from zone 2B without Police who had more points than Cornerstone in zone 2A asking to remain in the league for Corners to be relegated.

"They were not fortunate in 2001 because even though Mine Stars gained promotion to the Premiership from r Zone 2A, Adansiman from the same zone were relegated back into their zone hence the two last team would have to go down"

He said the irony of the situation was that instead of Cornerstone going quietly they are looking for a way out and have come back to the old guideline, which has been amended and are saying "since they had 14 points in Zone 2Aand All Black had 13 points in Zone 2B they (All Blacks) should be relegated instead of them because of better points build up".

"All Blacks are also not being relegated because there also enjoying the same privilege that Cornerstones enjoyed in 2000" Mr Ntow-Faiko said the guideline being cited by Cornerstone to support their claim that "The two bottom teams in Zone 1A and Zone 1B as well as the three bottom clubs in Zone 2 and 3 shall be relegated" has long been amended.

He said the guideline was use in 1997 when only Zone 1 was sub-divided into A and B whiles Zones 2 and 3 competed on all play all basis.