The Fiji Muslim League Sports Association and the Fiji Muslim League have been ordered to pay $8500 to a Nadi father and his two sons.
The three were suspended for 17 months after an alleged soccer brawl.
Sadiq Khan and his two sons – Afzal Khan and Mohammed Ifraaz Khan – were members of the Cuvu team that participated in the 2018 Muslim Inter-District Championship where a brawl occurred in a match against Nasinu.
The High Court in Lautoka noted the three were suspended on September 2, 2019.
Justice Alan Grahame Stuart stated in his ruling that the Fiji Muslim League was obliged to carry out any disciplinary functions under the constitution, “to give effect to the rules of natural justice”.
“As I have found out the rules of natural justice applied to the complaints against the plaintiffs, it is clear that they were not complied with.
“At no time before they were told that they were suspended, were the plaintiffs even told about the complaints, let alone given the details about the complaints against them.”
Justice Stuart ruled that the decision by the Fiji Muslim League Council to suspend and fine the plaintiffs was null and void and had no effect.
“The plaintiffs are entitled to enjoy in full and without impediment all benefits of their membership with FML and FMSA.
“I would expect that the FML and the FMSA, as the responsible organisations that I am confident they are, will understand, accept and give effect to this decision, and will not attempt to maintain the suspensions and fines which I have found to be invalid.”
The court order for costs were sealed on October 6.
