DST Super League champs to represent Brunei in AFC Cup

DST Super League champions the Royal Brunei Armed Forces
Sports Council (MS ABDB) in a group photo at the Hassanal Bolkiah
 National Stadium in Berakas after receiving their trophy on Dec 13.
This year’s DST Super League champions will represent Brunei in the AFC Cup.
Picture: BT file 

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 

Thursday, March 3, 2016

DST SUPER League champions will be eligible to represent the country at next year’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup for the first time.

Currently in its 16th edition, the AFC Cup is the region’s second-tier club football competition for developing football nations – with clubs from top-tier nations playing in the AFC Champions League.

Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta'zim are the reigning champions after beating Tajikistan’s Istiklol in last year’s final.

If the DST Super League champions are unable represent the country, the league’s runners-up will then take their spot.

The news was one of the many topics brought up during the team manager’s meeting for the DST Super League and DST Premier League which was held at the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) House in Berakas on Monday.

“On behalf of the NFABD committee, we hope that we will have a better competition this year,” NFABD Acting Competition Director Dayem Haji Ali said in an interview with The Brunei Times.

“We also hope that players and clubs will comply with all the tournament rules and regulations established by the (organising) committee.

“Hopefully this year we can make football to be one of the most popular sport again in the country,” he continued.

Dayem also stressed that players are only allowed to play for one club in any league competition sanctioned by NFABD.

Players and clubs who failed to obey the rules and regulations will be brought forward to the disciplinary committee, with action to be taken as agreed upon by the tournament’s organising committee.

Teams that have already registered and wish to withdraw from the competition are required to notify the organisers through writing at least 14 days before the tournament starts.

Action will be taken against teams which withdraw without any valid reason, and they will be handed a fine of not less than $500.00.

The manager and the relevant players will not be allowed to join any of the other teams involved in any of the leagues organised by NFABD.

The second transfer window will open mid-way through the season which will be announced at a later date.

Players and managers who wish to go through the transfer procedure will be required to fill in a form given by the organisers and pay a total of $100 administration fee for each player.

Also attending the meeting was NFABD Executive Member Rosdin Haji Abdul Aziz, who emphasised that players and club officials are required to wear their identification pass given by NFABD during the duration of every game.

The 2016 DST Super League is slated to kick off on Saturday with the Sumbangsih Cup clash between last season’s DST Super League champions, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB), and runners-up Indera Sports Club (SC).

The game at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas is set to kick off at 8.15pm.

Meanwhile, IKLS FC will face T-11 at the Berakas Sports Complex on March 11 at 4pm in the DST Premier League.

The Brunei Times