Official statement in regards to Himmarshee FC v Boca Raton FC match

The Florida Gold Coast League has ruled that the match between Himmarshee FC (HFC) and Boca Raton FC (BRFC), scheduled for Saturday, March 27th at 5:00 PM, shall be deemed a forfeit. BRFC will receive a 0-3 loss in the standings, and HFC will receive a 3-0 win.

The FGCL values the integrity of its competition and this action is being taken due to a clear violation of that integrity.

The full week-by-week schedule for the 2021 Spring Season has been available to all clubs since at least January 24th, with this particular match having the exact date, time and location scheduled since that time. BRFC, at some point since then and with no effort made to contact the home team (HFC) or league until Monday, March 22, scheduled a match in a different competition on the same day that created a direct conflict with their FGCL match obligation. The league has ruled that HFC are within their rights to not reschedule their match and field arrangements at the request of their opponent to accommodate and prioritize an unrelated competition.

The FGCL frequently works with clubs in the event of valid rescheduling requests  - health and/or family emergencies, field unavailability, weather, etc. The FGCL also enthusiastically encourages its clubs to take part in additional competitions outside league play. However knowingly scheduling a conflicting match in a separate competition and creating an unnecessary burden on our league and it’s club(s) is not a valid request, and is disrespectful to both the integrity of our league and the opposing club.

The FGCL does not take this action lightly, and wishes it were not necessary. However when clubs make a commitment to our league, we expect those clubs to meet their obligations, and when they do not, that they be held accountable for their actions.