Intare FC Secretary General Philbert Hagengimana was left disappointed with how football governing body (Ferwafa) handled their Peace Cup case with Rayon Sports which the club describes as ‘unfair’.
It was thought that Intare would finally accept to play the Peace Cup round of 16 second leg match against Rayon Sports which was due Wednesday, April 19 at Bugesera stadium. However, the team didn’t show at the stadium and instead informed Ferwafa that they won’t play the match.
Rayon Sports, who has a 2-1 lead in the first leg, was already at Bugesera stadium warming up waiting for the kickoff game to start but only to learn that Intare FC didn’t show up on the pitch at kickoff time.
The club had informed the FA that they would not play the match because they were not satisfied with decision made by the appeal’s committee to reschedule the match instead of handing a forfeit to Rayon who had withdrawn from the Peace Cup tournament before making a U-turn a day later.
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Match officials ruled a 3-0 forfeit victory in favor of Rayon after Intare failed to show up.
The Blues, as a result, progressed to the quarter finals after knocking Intare out of the round of 16 on a 5-1 aggregate victory to set a date with Police.
Hagengimana said the decision of not playing the match had already been taken the day FERWAFA let Rayon Sports return to the competition despite their early withdrawal in March.
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"Like we said from the very beginning, we can’t accept such injustice,” club Hagengimana told Times Sport.
"We decided not to show up at the stadium because we feel we were mistreated; we think that this was what they (FERWAFA) wanted... they wanted to eliminate us,” he added.
Asked whether they’re planning to appeal again, he said, "we’re not appealing anymore, I think we did enough. They showed us how less important we are in this tournament based on these unfair decisions being taken against us.”
Rayon Sports join other seven teams that have booked their tickets to the quarter finals. They include Mukura, Musanze, APR, Marines, Rwamagana City, SC Kiyovu and their next opponents Police FC.