West of Scotland League sponsors Indigo Communications have withdrawn all financial support amid a storm that saw Gartcairn docked 15 points and fined £500 for fielding an ‘ineligible’ player.
The Airdrie club dispute the charges against them and claim they have documentation to show that the unidentified player was signed. They further claim complications with the new Comet player registration system utilised by the Scottish FA last summer is behind the wrangle.
In a statement issued today, Indigo Communications say they have withdrawn their backing due to “the treatment of several member clubs” in what is a “shocking look for the league”.
They say clubs who have been affected by punishments can apply to have fines repaid.
The statement reads: “Indigo Unified Communications announces the immediate withdrawal of all sponsorship for the West of Scotland Football League.
“For the past two seasons, Indigo has been proud to support the WOSFL without issue.
“However, recent developments, particularly regarding the treatment of several member clubs, have led to this decision.
“Clubs are being unfairly penalised financially and subjected to point deductions due to errors made within an unreliable, poorly managed system that has not been adequately communicated or understood by the clubs.
“As a company that values reliability and customer support, Indigo Unified Communications, which serves a broad range of clients across various sectors in Scotland, cannot continue to support an organisation that implements systems where user support is not prioritised.
“We understand there have been repeated requests for assistance from several teams within the league, which have been ignored.
“Many of the member clubs are predominantly volunteer-run and lack the IT expertise or resources to navigate these challenges, despite paying annual fees to the league.
“In response to these circumstances, Indigo Unified Communications has decided to allocate the sponsorship fund specifically to support WOSFL member clubs financially affected by the aforementioned issues.”
Clubs impacted are able to email Indigo Communications with relevant documentation or details regarding financial penalties, and they will look to reimburse them using money that had been allocated for sponsorship purposes.
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