The local football governing body (Ferwafa) has rejected an appeal lodged by Gicumbi and Heroes FC after the two sides protested their ‘unfair relegation’ from the Rwanda Premier League. Ferwafa announced a fortnight ago that the 2019/2020 season was prematurely ending due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the decision meant that the two clubs at the bottom of the table were destined to play in the second division league next season. Before the league was indefinitely suspended on March 15, Heroes were 15th-placed, with 16 points, while Gicumbi were bottom at 15 points. Two days after Ferwafa’s decision, both teams made an appeal to Ferwafa challenging their relegation. They argued that they had a chance to perform well in the remaining matches and stay in the first division. Each side remained with 7 games as the league was declared over at match-day 23 of the 30-match season. Gicumbi and Heroes also highlighted that the decision was against what Ferwafa’s consultative meeting had discussed two weeks earlier, saying that the topflight league clubs voted in favour awarding the title to leaders APR but there would be no relegation. While responding to the appeal on Friday, June 5, Ferwafa said: “The appeals have no legal ground. The Ferwafa Appeals Committee has upheld the decision to relegate Heroes and Gicumbi from Rwanda Premier League following the abrupt end of the season.” Champions APR will represent the country in the 2020-21 Caf Champions League.
