Fans of Shabana FC will on Saturday be allowed into the Gusii Stadium for their premier league match against Posta Rangers after the Sports Disputes Tribunal suspended the FKF punishment for the club to play five home matches without fans.
The Football Kenya Federation's Leagues and Competition Committee on Thursday imposed the ban on Shabana following the team's last weekend's 2-2 draw with Ulinzi Stars at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi.
Shabana was leading until the last minute of added time when Ulinzi Stars equalised. After the final whistle, some fans uprooted seats and threw them into the playing field.
On Thursday, the Leagues and Competitions Committee, through chairman Michael Majua slapped the Glamour Boys with sanctions following the fan trouble.
The moves attracted widespread condemnation from lawyers from the Abagusii community who protested an FKF ban.
Led by Danstan Omari and Samson Nyaberi, the more than 50 advocates termed the ban unfair and discriminative and vowed to challenge the decision at the Sports Disputes Tribunal.
And they were successful in the first round after the tribunal suspended the FKF sanctions.
"That stay of the ruling of the respondent (Football Kenya Federation) dated September 25 be and is hereby granted pending hearing and determination of this application," tribunal's chairman John Ohaga said.
The matter was certified urgent and will be mentioned on Thursday, October 3, for further directions.
Omari had faulted the FKF committee for punishing Shabana FC, saying the punishment meted out to the club was severe.
"First and foremost, there is no evidence to show that the goons who caused trouble were Shabana FC fans. In the past, teams have been banned for two games. Why five for Shabana FC?" Omari posed.
Nyaberi said the decision to have the team play behind closed doors will hurt not only the players but also the community given supporting the team is their only leisure activity.
Shabana FC is waiting to play its FKF Premier League game at Gusii Stadium for the first time in 18 years when they take on Posta Rangers at the Gusii Stadium.
The 30,000-seater stadium has been undergoing renovation works that forced the team to play most of its home matches at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay last season.
The Gusii Stadium often fills whenever Shaban FC is playing there.
"So you can imagine the loss the ban will occasion to the team socially, psychologically, and financially. The team stands to lose millions of shillings in revenues in terms of gate collections, and the societal fabric will also be affected given the jubilant fans will be locked out of the matches. That is not right," Nyaberi said.
