Southampton Rangers have been reinstated into the FA Cup after an arbitration ruling went in their favour, where they will play Dandy Town in the first round, the Bermuda Football Association has confirmed.

The inaugural FA Cup finalists were kicked out of the competition and deducted a league point by the BFA for failure to pay their annual membership fee.

Rangers appealed against the sanction as they felt that the “procedure used was unfair”.

However, the BFA Appeals Committee upheld the sanction after it was “decided unanimously” that the appeal was without merit.

The Premier Division club subsequently took their case to the Alternate Dispute Resolution arbitration panel, at the Department of Youth Sport and Recreation, who ruled in their favour during a hearing yesterday.

“The Bermuda Football Association advises that the matter between Southampton Rangers and the Association was decided during the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) hearing on Thursday, January 16th,” read a BFA statement. “The sole arbitrator has ruled that no sanctions be applied to Southampton Rangers. Southampton Rangers will be entered into the FA Cup First Round and the 1-point deduction imposed on the club by the Association is rescinded.

“With respect to the FA Cup, Southampton Rangers will play against Dandy Town at a date and time to be decided by the Competitions Committee but will not be played with the other first round matches taking place on Sunday, January 19th. The Association has decided that this is in the best interest of being able to complete the FA Cup competition and by extension the remaining schedule of matches this season.

“In conclusion, while the decision by the Arbitrator was favorable to Southampton Rangers and as signatories to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process the Association is bound by the decision. However, the Association is mindful of its responsibilities to all its Full Members.

“The Association wishes the Southampton Rangers all the best for the remainder of the season.”

Rangers also issued a statement following the ruling.

“Southampton Rangers Sports Club would like to thank the Department of Youth and Sport, specifically Director of Youth and Sports, Norbert Simons, Maceo Dill and Jekon Edness, for expeditiously facilitating our arbitration hearing last evening, January 16, 2020,” the club statement read.

“During this entire ordeal with the BFA, Southampton Rangers has maintained that it acted in good faith and within the BFA constitution throughout this entire process. Last night’s arbitration ruling is vindicating because we feel that we were being unjustly sanctioned by the BFA.

“Now that these sanctions have been lifted, and the arbitration panel ruling in our favour, we are pleased to now be participating in the prestigious FA Cup competition.

“Southampton Rangers Sports Club would like to thank the arbitration panel for their fair and unbiased ruling along with all of our members and supporters for their words of encouragement during this entire ordeal.

“Moving forward, we hope all clubs will be treated equally and fairly under the BFA Constitution by the BFA Executive.”