Tralee Warriors stripped of Men’s Superleague basketball title
Tralee Warriors have been stripped of the Men’s Superleague title by Basketball Ireland.
The governing body’s Men’s National Competitions Committee (MNCC) has confirmed that Belfast Star have been declared champions after Tralee were docked six points for the illegal registration of American player Andre Berry.
The MNCC accepted that Tralee’s error was an ‘unintentional rule violation’.
The decision comes after several rounds of arbitration and following Tralee’s initial success in appealing the points deduction.
It’s an unsatisfactory footnote to the season, which has been truncated by the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus.
The MNCC said today: “The decision comes following the outcome of an arbitration hearing held earlier this week, which has found that Garvey’s Tralee Warriors committed an unintentional rule violation towards the end of the playing season.”
Chair of the MNCC and Basketball Ireland CEO, Bernard O’Byrne said: “Both Tralee Warriors and Belfast Star have accepted the result of the hearing, the appeal process and the outcome. They have congratulated each other on a fantastic season of basketball and wish each other well.
The MNCC would like to take this opportunity to express their appreciation to both clubs for their sportsmanlike attitude.
It is understood that the violation came down to a simple error of an unpaid registration fee for Berry.
Tralee were initially docked two wins (six points) by Basketball Ireland for playing Berry – who came in for compatriot Keith Jumper – in Superleague victories over UCD Marian and Eanna.
The governing body’s MNCC ruled that Berry had not been properly registered for three games in all – one of which Tralee lost one to Belfast Star.
