CFA bans Hiroshi, team cries foul

From Sun.Star Cebu

A punching incident involving one of its members is proving costly for Hiroshi Football Club.

This after Hiroshi Team was banned from playing in the Cebu leg of the Philippine Futsal Cup Winners� Cup, which starts today at the Metrosports Club.


The incident happened during the DRB Cup last April, when Hiroshi�s Harold Buot punched the referee in the semifinal match against the Cebu Under 23 team in the Men�s Open. The match was abandoned and the winner of the other semifinal, the University of San Carlos, was named champion.

�It was during DRB and it happened right in front of my face,� Cebu Football Association (CFA) president Richard Montayre said.

Montayre said because of that, he recommended a one-year suspension for the team and an indefinite suspension on Buot to the Cebu Football Association Disciplinary Committee, which agreed on the punishment.

He also said that aside from the incident this year, the team also faced complaints in the Thirsty Cup and the Cebufest.

�We have already given them so much consideration if we look at the incidents from past tournaments,� said Montayre.

Buot was also involved in a slapping incident in the Thirsty Cup in 2006, which led to a free-for-all between Hiroshi and Crazy Horse.

However, Hiroshi, which aside from winning 11-a-side competitions has also won a couple of local futsal tournaments, is questioning the team�s suspension and is disappointed that their registration for today�s futsal event was turned down.

The event, organized by the Philippine Futsal Association Inc., is sanctioned by Philippine Football Federation, which has also tasked the CFA to supervise the event.

The champion in the Cebu leg will represent the city in the national tournament later this year.

�Asa ang justice ana? Amo ra gyud intawon gi-assert among rights as players kay this is so unfair,� said Hiroshi team captain Voltaire Montebon, who led the team in winning the Cebu Inter-club Invitational Tournament last May.

Montebon said the rest of the team members don�t deserve to be banned because they were not involved in the punching incident and when it happened, they immediately tried to separate Buot. They have also barred Buot from playing for their team in the futsal event.

Montebon also said they were able to register for the Cebu leg of the Philippine Futsal Cup Winners� Cup but their registration was revoked by the organizers after they were informed of the team�s one-year ban from CFA-sanctioned activities.

However, Montayre said the team can still appeal their one-year ban and said even the PFF has modified sanctions after an appeal.

�There�s no problem. They just give their appeal and sit down with members of the disciplinary committee,� said Montayre.

However, Montebon said the team has long tried to reach Montayre but to no avail.

�We have long been willing to do that (file an appeal). Ingnun lang mi niya where and when kay naka-pila nami ni adto sa iyang opisina unya walay mutunga,� he said.