The veteran administrator insists the Kenyan champions are aware of their rights and are not ready to give in
Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier has contested the letter from the club to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League partners StartTimes stating the club has agreed on terms allowing them to broadcast their matches.
Goal exclusively reported K’Ogalo had finally caved in and signed the undertaking to start the 2020-21 FKF Premier League season.
“We Gor Mahia FC, members of FKF, are cognizant that on September 29, 2020, FKF entered into a media rights and commercial rights agreement [the agreement] with StarTimes [Kenya] Company Limited to be the exclusive broadcaster of the FKF Premier League for seven seasons [2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27],” read a letter from the club signed by Secretary-General Sam Ocholla.
However, Rachier has stated the letter is not from the club and has already contested it with another one which is ‘officially’ from the club.
“The letter was written without our authority and the Secretary-General [Sam Ocholla] knows our stand,” the veteran administrator told Goal on Tuesday.
“Now he has gone into hiding, you cannot get him on the phone. The letter has no authority from the club and I have written to StarTimes to contest the same.”
Rumours have also been circulating that the experienced lawyer is contemplating resigning his post as the club’s chairman because of the current issue.
“We have external forces pushing me to resign from my post,” Rachier continued.
“At this moment, that is not important, the important issue is ensuring our rights are not interfered with. I am dealing with it and later on, I will focus on other issues.”
Earlier on, the four rebel clubs, Gor Mahia, Mathare United, Ulinzi Stars, and Zoo FC, had vowed not to sign the deal, with a source intimating to Goal they are ready to play in the league.
“Both clubs are willing and ready to compete in the league which starts on Saturday, they have vowed not to sign the broadcast deal, they don’t want to give in and sign the document,” a source, from one of the clubs and who did not want to be named, told Goal on Tuesday.
“As clubs, we don’t want to lose our broadcast rights, the rights were for the clubs even during the KPL era and what FKF are doing is to snatch what belongs to the clubs, it will not be possible, we will not give in, we will not sign the document but one thing I can assure you, we are ready to play in the league.
The new season will kick-off on November 28, 2020, with eight matches in card.
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