FOOTBALL: Ports Coates League Cup appeal dismissed by IFA
Cliftonville will now face Ballymena United in the last four
Last updated 7th Dec 2021
Portadown have lost their appeal against the eligibility of Cliftonville defender Colin Coates in the League Cup Quarter-Final.
The former Crusaders captain was an extra-time substitute in the match at Shamrock Park on Tuesday November 9th.
However, Portadown contended that the experienced centre-back was ineligible to play as he had been signed outside the registration window for the competition.
Their initial complaint wasn't upheld by the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) and the appeal was dismissed by the Irish Football Association (IFA) Appeal Board when they met last Thursday night.
The basis of the appeal was that Coates, was signed by Cliftonville after the closure of the August 31st transfer window, namely 31 August, and therefore in contravention of the NIFL League Cup rule 7c which states:
‘For the avoidance of any doubt to be eligible to play in this competition a player must also be eligible to participate for his club in the relevant league competition and must have been registered during one of the two professional game registration periods.
These registration periods are:-
First Registration Period – 9 June 2021 – 31 August 2021
Second Registration period – 1 January 2022 – 31 January 2022’
In response NIFL contended that the cup competition rules must be read in the context of both overriding conditions of the IFA Player Registrations Regulations and particularly the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
The IFA Appeals Board stated in their findings that the appeal was dismissed due to FIFA registration rules overriding those of NIFL.
It said: "It was clear that a simple interpretation of NIFL rule 7c would appear to provide support to the Portadown position, however the Board accepted that the regulatory framework and in particular the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players provides binding conditions under which all FIFA national associations must operate.
These Regulations provide at article 6(1) – ‘Players may only be registered during one of the two annual registration periods fixed by the relevant association. Associations may fix different registration periods for their male and female competitions. As an exception to this rule, a professional whose contract has expired prior to the end of a registration period may be registered outside that period. Associations are authorised to register such professionals provided that due consideration is given to the sporting integrity of the relevant competition.’
The Appeals Board are satisfied that the NIFL League Cup rules operate within a hierarchy of regulations and that FIFA regulations sit at the top of the framework, and as they provide for an exception for ‘out of contract professionals’, in the absence of any specific regulation to prevent such players from playing in this competition, NIFL have applied the rules correctly.
'The Appeals Board therefore unanimously reject the appeal and confirm the decision of NIFL.'
It means that Cliftonville, who came from behind to win the match 2-1 after extra-time in Shamrock Park, will take their place in the last four of the competition.
They host Ballymena United at Solitude next Tuesday, December 14th (7.45pm), while Warrenpoint Town will travel to Coleraine in the other semi-final on the same night (8pm)