Assignment of Match Officials For 2025 SKNFA Premier League Finals

By: St. Paul’s Football Club

St. Pauls, St. Kitts September 2, 2025. – The St. Pauls Football Club (SPFC) dispatched a letter to the SKNFA regarding the assignment of match officials in the Finals of this year’s Premier League Competition between the St. Pauls Football Club and the Village Superstars Football Club.

The letter specifically challenges the assignment of Mr. Travester ‘Chad’ Richards to officiate in any of the upcoming Finals matches. The basis of our objection is outlined below:

1. Mr. Richards has immediate family ties to at least one current player in the RAMS Village Superstars FC.
2. He is a former player of the RAMS Village Superstars FC.
3. The brother of Travester Richards was brutally murdered by a few young men from St. Pauls approximately 15 years ago. This personal history of family tragedy in St. Paul’s, tied to villagers with close familial connections to SPFC, may understandably affect his neutrality.
4. Mr. Richards has made public pronouncements expressing dislike for SPFC.
5. Public remarks by SKNFA President Atiba Harris, in the presence of SPFC President Donald Freeman and Earl Jones (Head Coach, National U14 Girls Team), referenced the possibility of bringing in “Chad to referee and stop” SPFC’s repeat of the Premier League Championship, which has raised serious concerns about officiating impartiality.
6. Mr. Richards was recently removed from FIFA’s International List of Referees due to performance issues.
7. The controversial decisions made by Mr. Richards in the penalty shootout of the decisive 2023 Premier League Finals match between these same teams.
8. Mr. Richards lobbied to have Ms. Shandor Wilkinson removed as match referee during the 2023 Finals, claiming that she was too inexperienced and should not be officiating in such a critical game; when referee manager Ramsey refused to disappoint Ms. Wilkinson, the management of the SKNFA overruled his decision; he subsequently resigned.
9. Mr. Richards went on to officiate in the said match, resulting in one of the most controversial Finals matches to date, we have vowed never to let this happen again.
   The St. Pauls Football Club is the most successful Premier Division Club this century. We have been to the Premier League Finals every year for the last 5 years and lost only once. In all competitions, we have won 15 of the last 20, including 3-peats at the President, and FA Cups. We now hold 7 Premier League Champions, more than any other Club.

We are a fearless people who’ve worked hard and sacrificed for our successes. We are not intimidated by any of our competitors, as evidenced by our sterling record of achievement.

We recently battled food poisoning that afflicted 3 of our main players, including Keithroy ‘Kiddy’ Freeman, Petrez Williams and Omar Francis to qualify for the 2025 Premier League Finals.

We will not, however, engage in what can be deemed footballing suicide and participate in any match with an official who is so blatantly conflicted and ethically challenged.

The SKNFA has a cadre of FIFA-certified referees who have demonstrated fairness, professionalism, and are not conflicted. We indicated in our letter to the SKNFA that we will be comfortable with any, but not restricted to, the following referees officiating the matches.

Shandor Wilkinson, Tristley Bassue, Kimbell Ward, Sanchez Bass

For the avoidance of doubt, our Club has no issues with neither the Referees Association nor the RAMS Village Superstars FC in fact our Clubs enjoy a most cordial relationship. Our issues wholly and solely is with Travester Richards “the Referee”.

If the SKNFA were to ignore all the obvious signs of conflict and fixture Mr. Travester ‘Chad’ Richards, the club would have no other alternative but to withdraw from the competition.

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