AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia at a past match (photo / betway)
Kenya premier league top sides Gor Mahia and AFC leopards risk a three year ban should they pull out of Confedration of African Football competition.
The two sides have threatened to pull out of the competition after Sportpesa withdrew sponsorship for the clubs following an introduction of 35 per cent gambling tax.
Continental Football body usually slaps teams that pull out of the competition by a three year ban in the tournament.
In Kenya, a team that wins the Kenya premier League (KPL) title and that this wins the Go TV shield automatically represent the nation in the tournament.
This means that Gor Mahia and AFC leopards have qualified for the tournament slated to be from 9 February to11 November 2018 and includes 59 teams from 49 Football associations.
On Wednesday, AFC chairperson Dan Mule said they are trying to get a new sponsor and if it fails, they only have an option to pull out.
“We are planning to engage the Government to take up our bill for continental football, but if they cannot do that, then we have no choice but to pull out. We understand there are consequences but there is simply nothing we can do about it,” Mule said.
Same sentiments were shared by Gor Mahia's Chairman sighting the cost of Air tickets to over sh 3.5 million which the club could not sustain.
"A one-way air ticket costs Sh3.5 million and accommodation is Sh3 million. That means we will need about Sh10 milion for one match - to and fro - and we cannot sustain that budget, " Rachier said.
The two clubs were receiving sponsorship deal of sh 100 million from Sportpesa