Cedars withdraw from Winter League
Benoni Cedars Football Club, based at the Atlas Sports Grounds, has withdrawn from the 2014 ELFA winter leagues.
The Eastern Local Football Association (ELFA) confirmed the club’s withdrawal from the winter leagues to the City Times, on Tuesday, April 4.
The club will no longer participate in any ELFA divisions this season.
In a letter to the EFLA, explaining the reasoning behind the withdrawal, Benoni Cedars FC’s chairman, Wesley White, who founded the club in 2009, stated: “It is with regret that we wish to inform you that after endeavoring to validate birth certificates of players to avoid any further problems that were suffered last season, by our club, we, as a club, are not prepared to risk the good name of our club just for the sake of registering the players for the teams.
“Unfortunately, with the heavy rain that we had to endure, it has set us back as with other clubs, but you will notice that a vast majority of our players stay in Etwatwa and the logistical nightmare of being in contact with them for relevant information has become impossible for us as a club to furnish the LFA with facts that will stand up to any scrutiny, for example age clarification, schools, etc.
“We have been informed by the ward councillor of Mandela Section [in Etwata] that these players would be financially unable to pay for taxi fares and registrations that would be liable by the club to the LFA.
“There are certain players that will be incorporated to the South African Football Association (SAFA) team, whose parents/community members will assist them to pay the affiliated fee to SAFA, which is minimal.”
White added that therefore the club has made a decision to withdraw the u-8, u-10, u-12 and u-13 teams in the junior section as well as their senior super league teams.
The u-15 SAFA team will be the only team participating this year from Benoni Cedars FC.
The club’s Senior Super League Division Two team qualified for the league, last year, after finishing as runners up in the Seniors Premier League to Springs Old Boys.
The team also lifted the ELFA Cup last season.
The chairman was quick to clarify that the letter serves as a retraction for the teams from the LFA for this season only and that the withdrawal does not mean closure of Benoni Cedars but merely gives the club time to recruit, register and identify players for a new season.
All teams scheduled to play Cedars will have byes.
