QCU asks UFL to declare default

CEBU, Philippines - The Queen City United Football Club (QCUFC) has formally filed a protest against Pachanga FC of Bacolod City in relation to their scheduled game last Sunday that did not push through.

Engr. Pericles ‘Ricky’ Dakay, team manager of QCU said that Pachanga FC should have been declared as having defaulted the game as the team failed to show up for the rescheduled game.

The two teams were supposed to face each other at 1 p.m. at the University of Makati (UMAK) Field for their first game in the United Football League (UFL) last Sunday, but organizers were forced to postpone all games set at UMAK due to the weather and poor playing conditions.

The announcement from the UFL came at 8 a.m. via text message from Richard Gannaban, technical director of the tournament.

The teams affected were told to wait for further instructions as the organizers were looking for alternative venues.

In his letter, Dakay said, “we immediately appealed to the Committee requesting that our game will push thru for that day considering the substantial logistical costs in sending our team in Manila from our hometown of Cebu.”

The organizers, according to Dakay, agreed to the request and moved the game to the Alabang Country Club field and QCU even said that they were willing to play at either 1, 2 or 3 p.m. The Pachanga FC was also informed of the change, but reportedly told organizers that they could not anymore play as the players were not there anymore.

Dakay said in his letter that this excuse was not acceptable.

“We reacted that this was not an acceptable excuse considering that like our team, their players were already in Manila and that Pachanga-FC contingent came in days before the tournament and even had a friendly match with Kaya. In addition, they also were able to show up during the parade and our scout confirmed the fact that their equipment were already at UMAK. Hence, we respectfully submit that their simple excuse that their players were no longer around should not be taken seriously as we believe that this is flimsy.”

Dakay also pointed out that the announcement in the morning was the postponement of the game and not its cancellation.

What upset the QCU management was that Gannaban, instead of declaring Pachanga in default, instead offered that QCU play its next scheduled game against Global FC in Cebu so that the team need not spend for travel.

In response, Dakay said,”We graciously did not accept the said proposal as we prefer that the UFL stick by the established rules of the game and follow the set schedules considering also that we have already booked and made necessary arrangements for the succeeding games. Mr. Gannaban then informed us that he will have to refer our concerns to the Executive Committee since he cannot decide the submitted issues on his level.”

QCU filed a protest last Sunday and paid the fee of P2,500.

Dakay closed his letter by hoping that the same incident would not happen again.

Santiago ‘Santi’ Araneta of Kaya FC and of the UFL, told The Freeman yesterday afternoon that they would reply to Dakay’s letter in 48 hours. (FREEMAN)