After being found culpable of fielding an unsuitable player, the Connah's Quay Nomads have been docked 18 points. As a result of the point deduction, the defending champions are now second from the bottom of the JD Cymru Premier, six points from safety, and are in danger of relegation.
The Phase One league table has been amended, as have the Phase Two fixtures, as a result of independent arbitration's ruling on March 3 in the discourse against Connah's Quay Nomads for allegedly breaking regulations of the Welsh top division. Connah's Quay Nomads will take part with Cardiff Met, Aberystwyth Town, Barry Town United, Cefn Druids, and Haverfordwest County in the Play-Off Conference as the league breaks in two. So, instead of fighting to defend the title, the Flintshire side will fight for the survival within the elite, making a huge problem not only for themselves but also for passionate bettors who put their money in the Nomads' back-to-back title win at the top football betting sites. The Championship Conference will feature the New Saints, Penybont, Newtown, Bala Town, Flint Town United, and Caernarfon Town. Each team's points and goal differential from Phase One will be rolled on to Phase Two.
The Breaches of FAW Rules by the Nomads
The two disciplinary complaints made by the country's federation (FAW) were heard by Mr William Norris QC, who was selected as the exclusive impartial adjudicator by Sports Resolutions, which provides independent dispute resolution services, against Connah's Quay Nomads alleging breaches of FAW Rules 38.1.1 and/or FAW Rule 38.1.2 on March 2, 2022, as per a declaration released a day later.
Two players were registered to List A after the first Professional Registration period closed but before the second opened in the 2021/2022 season, in violation of Cymru Premier Rule 12.6(b). It was also discovered that, in violation of Cymru Premier Rule 14.1, the second player, Portuguese Paulo Mendes, even though he was unfit, competed in six JD Cymru Premier matches.
Mr Norris detailed the following decisions in his Summary of Decision, saying he had come to the conclusion that both accusations had been proven. He acknowledged that the club sought to register Player A on the evening of August 31, 2021, and that he felt they had done so having provided documents via the COMET system before the window ended at midnight, more precisely at 9:50 p.m. BST. The arbitrator discovered that, while the Connah's Quay Nomads thought they had uploaded Mendes' contract (which he assumed the Portuguese had signed by then), they had not. As a result, the attempted registration was turned down, with notification given to the club at 11:24 p.m. by email.
No Additional Fines Apart from Points Deduction
Norris thought he must impose and has imposed a sanction of 18 points being deducted from the champions. Given the circumstances of the rule violations and what was recognized as very serious sporting and financial ramifications for a successful and influential club in Welsh football that is run, as Norris acknowledged, by good hard-working people, he didn't believe it was appropriate to impose any additional fines.
Connah's Quay Nomads' sanction in the form of taking away points will be shown in the league charts of the JD Cymru Premier, and any alterations to league fixtures as a result of the mid-season separation will be announced on the competition's website as soon as possible.
The club has yet to make a statement.
