Tribunal ruling angers club

June 30 2010

Shepparton News

Cobram Victory is set to take legal action against the league following Monday night's tribunal hearing that stripped the club of wins against Cobram Tigers and Shepparton South for fielding an ineligible player.

The three-member panel found Goulburn North East Football Association president Frank Trimboli was wrong to give Victory permission to play Englishman Adam Gatcum, as he had yet to serve a suspension received while playing for semi-professional club Andover in the United Kingdom.

But the tribunal's ruling means Victory will pay for the league's error. Victory president Tony Startari was unable to comment on the specifics of the legal action to be taken, but was angered his club had not been invited, or informed, that the tribunal was going ahead.

"We never got notice (about the upcoming hearing), I read it in The News on Monday morning and rang Frank Trimboli at 2 pm in the afternoon and he said we had no reason to attend; that it's got nothing to do with us, it's between Cobram (Tigers) and the league," Startari said.

"So how can they have a tribunal hearing about us without even asking us to attend? Where's the natural course of justice there?"

Rule 12.4(a) of the grievance, disciplinary and tribunal by-laws states "if GNEFA determines to refer a matter to the tribunal it shall notify all persons who may be affected by the Tribunal's decision of the following matters: (i) the time, date and place at which the hearing will take place . . . (and) (ii) sufficient details of the allegations against the party charged to enable the party to prepare a response to the allegations."

"As far as we're concerned that tribunal Monday night is null and void," Startari said.

"At the end of the day, we've done nothing wrong.

"We had a suspended player and we knew he was suspended. They're calling us cheats, well how did we cheat?

"We asked the question of everyone. Soccer Australia (FFA) sent us to Melbourne (FFV) and Melbourne said it was okay with them as long as Trimboli okayed it, so what have we done wrong?"

Startari quashed rumours that his club would pull its sides from this week's clash with Shepparton in protest.

"We'll be playing; we've got to be fair on the kids, of course we'll be playing."

Frank Trimboli was unavailable for comment yesterday.