Premier League of Belize awards 3 points to Verdes, San Pedro Pirates withdraw from PLB Championship

Published by [email protected] at April 14, 2023

Posted: Friday, April 14, 2023. 6:45 pm CST.

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The San Pedro Pirates announced on Friday that they were withdrawing from the Premier League of Belize (PLB) after the PLB awarded Verdes the three points from the game that was not played last Saturday in San Pedro due to lack of referees.

“It’s official the 3 points have been awarded to Verdes FC,” the San Pedro Pirates wrote in a social media post in which the club posted the letter sent to the club by the PLB.

“We are sadden to informed our fans but San Pedro Pirates FC says GOOD BYE to the Premier League of Belize. We will not tolerate that the League Office had guided us in such a manner, knowing that this would have been a big problem.

“We will not participate in no more games. We understand about the sanctions this might bring but we are also working with attorneys to deal with the situation.

“Thanks to the fans that have always supported us through all this years, we will miss you all week after week,” the San Pedro Pirates closed.

The PLB letter said the PLB Organizing Committee reviewed the game report and decided to award Verdes the three points as it considered the game to have been forfeited by the Pirates. The PLB letter sent by General Secretary Wilhelm Miguel also said the Organizing Committee forwarded the game report to the PLB Disciplinary Committee for their review and action. The letter said the decision by the Disciplinary Committee was also being attached.

Ѕаn Реdrо Ріrаtеѕ’ gоаlkеереr Ѕélvіn Ѕаgаѕtumе рunсhеѕ bаll аwау аѕ Vеrdеѕ аttасkѕ durіng Ріrаtеѕ’ 4-2 wіn іn Ѕаn Іgnасіо оn Fеbruаrу 11, 2023. (Рhоtо Сrеdіt: Ѕаn Реdrо Ріrаtеѕ)

So far, the PLB has not made any public pronouncement on the matter apart from its initial press release that the Belize City referees had not been afforded after-the-match accommodation on Saturday and had left San Pedro on Saturday evening. That caused the match to be called off.

PLB sources said the home team is responsible for referees’ accommodations.

The San Pedro Pirates said after both the PLB and the Football Federation of Belize published press releases on the referees’ decision, that they weren’t being fair to the Pirates who had advised the PLB earlier in the week that accommodations were not available and that they were told by the PLB to arrange with Verdes for the referees to travel back to Belize City after the game in the Verdes fan boat. San Pedro said Verdes management had agreed and they had informed the PLB.

Both the PLB and the FFB said that those arrangements were “considered to be extremely risky and unprofessional”. The FFB said the arrangement was “not an option”.

With the three points, Verdes now move up to 27 points, followed by Progresso with 23, San Pedro with 22, Port Layola with 21.

Benque Viejo United have 18, Altitude 16, Wagiya 3, and Internacional 2.

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