The Russian Football Union's Control and Disciplinary Committee (KDK) has awarded FC Ufa a technical loss for failing to appear for their Liga Pari match against SKA-Khabarovsk. SKA-Khabarovsk's general director, Alexey Kandalinstev, has publicly endorsed the decision, calling it "lawful" and fully justified.
Kandalinstev explained that the KDK conducted a thorough and detailed review of the incident before reaching its verdict. He stressed that SKA-Khabarovsk had taken all necessary steps to ensure the match, scheduled for the 32nd round, would take place on time. The club even offered to postpone the game by one day to accommodate Ufa's travel difficulties, but the opposition declined and opted to take the matter directly to the KDK, citing force majeure.
According to the league regulations, force majeure is defined as an event that could not have been foreseen or prevented with reasonable foresight or cost. Kandalinstev pointed out that Ufa made a high-risk travel decision by arriving in Khabarovsk on the morning of the game with a transfer in Novosibirsk having only a one-hour layover. He argued that ordinary precaution—given that flight delays are commonplace in the FNL—combined with more reliable (though more expensive) travel itineraries would have easily prevented the no-show.
The SKA-Khabarovsk director contrasted Ufa's approach with his own club's policy: they routinely send their teams to away matches more than two days in advance. He cited their upcoming trip to Voronezh on May 8, for which the squad will depart on May 6, as an example of proper planning.
Kandalinstev confirmed that SKA-Khabarovsk was prepared to reschedule the match to May 4, but Ufa refused. While emphasizing that the club aims to maintain constructive relationships with all colleagues, he made it clear that SKA-Khabarovsk would not allow itself to be held hostage by another club's errors, especially at a critical point in the season where a "three-pointer" is vital.
The decision by the KDK has now been accepted, and SKA-Khabarovsk views the outcome as a fair resolution to an unfortunate situation. Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.
