Senior vice-president of the Barbados Football Association (BFA) Captain Al Walcott is reminding member clubs about the six-point deduction rule for not parading at the opening ceremony.
“We expect that all registered clubs for the 2018 season will parade. If a club fail to parade, they will forfeit six vital points for the start of the season, so they will be starting their campaign in a deficit. This is a serious rule . . . . and we’re expecting that all clubs will join us in the parade to avoid that six points in deficit at the start of the season,” he said during a media briefing at their Wildey headquarters on Thursday.
Article 9 (X) on Page 17 of the BFA Tournament Rules reads: “Teams failing to parade with a full complement of players shall have six points deducted”.
Seventy-four teams are expected to parade tomorrow at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex at the opening of the domestic season, after which all registered clubs will be presented with the CONCACAF club licensing certificates, with a number of other individuals being presented with certificates as well.
“We will present the FIFA refereeing badges to the four referees who would have made the FIFA referees list this year; Gillian Martindale as a centre referee, and three assistants; Shannon Gibson, Tonya Deane and Kevon Clarke, who has been accepted for the first time this year.
“We will also be presenting the CONCACAF “C” License certificates to 17 coaches who would have qualified last year. They can now boast of being among the highest qualified CONCACF certified coaches in the confederation,” added general secretary Edwyn Wood.
After the parade and opening ceremony, play begins with a double-header between UWI Blackbirds, the winners of last year’s womens’ league, and a Presidents’ XI, while on the men’s side of the field, a select team of national and elite players will kick off against another Presidents’ XI.
Division 1 will follow play on January 31, and Division 2 will play on Tuesdays and is set to begin on February 6.
Play in Division 3 starts on Monday, February 5, while the Premier League begins on March 11 at the spankingnew-look Wildey AstroTurf.
However, Premier League players will get started on Errol Barrow Day in the four-week Williams Equipment Pre-Season Cup until the start of their season.
“The Pre-Season Cup commences with a double header at Bayville. This will bring the Premier League teams to communities such as Bayland, Dover, Ellerton, Friendship, Porey Spring, Bridgefield and Market Hill,” said Wood.
The semi-final matches will be played at Weymouth “A”, while the grand final follows at Empire grounds on February 25. In addition, the first-place team will be awarded $4 000; second-place, $2 000; third, $1 000, and fourth, $500.
Teams will be divided into three zones. The winners of each zone, along with the best overall second-place team, will advance to the semi-final round, which will be played using the knock-out format.
The competition will see triple-headers being played on Saturdays and Sundays, with the finals carded for theEmpire grounds.
Teams that win each game will be awarded $500 while their players will also earn incentives.
A Player Of The Match will be selected from each game, and will also get $100. The Player Of The Week will be awarded $300. (RA)
