KINGSTON, Jamaica — After nearly six years in the wilderness, head of the Phoenix Academy, Craig Butler’s indefinite ban from all football activities by the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA), has been lifted.Butler had a dispute with KSAFA over club ownership of Stony Hill football club and committed the cardinal sin of taking the affiliation to court. The world governing body, FIFA stipulates that anyone who does that, must be banned from football.Hence, Butler was thrown into the football wilderness locally, although he has been pretty active overseas exposing his Phoenix Academy players to numerous top clubs in Europe.“Yes, we have lifted his ban and we are just working on the stipulations to it,” confirmed Rudolph Speid, president of KSAFA.Butler was banned by KSAFA under the presidency of Stewart Stephenson in 2007 but after six years, why now?“Well, he made an appeal and we dealt with it. He wrote KSAFA a letter and it sounded better than the rest of times. Remember, he was banned before I took over,” Speid pointed out.Butler, a former Jamaica College Manning Cup player said he was happy to be back from exile.“It feels good to know that the ban is lifted and I can contribute to my country in a meaningful way legitimately without any challenges,” he told the Jamaica Observer. ?“It means a lot to the young players as they will feel a lot more freedom now to make their choices without having to worry about coming under any pressure,” he added.Butler was making reference to one of his many tours overseas where KSAFA had threatened to ban players that made the trip under Butler’s guidance.“I think KSAFA and the JFF have recognised the work that we have put into Phoenix and the development and what has happened. Now I am looking forward to working with them in developing the sport in the country,” he reiterated.When quizzed if he was upset that they took so long to lift the ban, Butler said he was not.Previously, KSAFA had stated that Butler’s ban could have been lifted a long time ago had he adhered and not violated the terms of the ban on numerous occasions.With not having the chance to coach in Jamaica, Butler took to the road with several players joining youth academies in Austria, Belgium, Germany and France, to name a few, in exposing the players to various conditions and cultures.“We are intending to return here in Jamaica as the first eight players have gotten professional contracts and opportunities overseas. What we want to now do is that we have gotten an agreement with KRC Genk in assist me in the running, management and training of the academy, so I will be here more often than not,” said Butler.
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KSAFA lifts ban on Craig Butler
