Gor Mahia Players celebrating their 2022/23 KPL season win with ICT CS Eliud Owalo
Gor Mahia FC have been kicked out of the CAF Champions League for failing to meet CAF Club Licensing Rules.
While making the announcement the confederation of African Football has ordered the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to revoke the new champions of the 2022/23 champions’ license.
This comes against the backdrop of a clearance announcement last month by CAF that the Mc Kinstry led team will participate in CAF competitions for the 2023-2024 season with other two teams from Kenya.
Fifa ratified Gor Mahia’s , Tusker and Kakamega Homeboyz applications in the five teams selected by the world governing body
The applicants are required to submit online applications and documents that adhere to five-pillar criteria: sporting, infrastructure, personnel and administrative, legal, and financial.
Nzoia Sugar and Kenya Police, however, were unable to submit their bids on time.
Speaking on the latest licensing milestone, FKF General Secretary / CEO Barry Otieno said: “Club Licensing is singularly the most viable pathway to ensure professional management and sustainable development of our football.”
He added: “For a long time, we have focused on a national football administration structure yet our roots, the clubs, are built on quicksand structures. Club licensing introduces a critical framework to strengthen football at the foundation of the game. As a Federation, we are committed to guiding the clubs to meet standards to ensure professionalism and sustainability.”
In a related development, the CEO/General Secretary announced that the Club Licensing process for the FKF Premier League clubs will start within the month of July ahead of the 2023/24 season set to kick off in two months’ time.