The parent of a Vasco player involved in an argument that led to his child’s team being expelled from the Kappa Classic is considering taking legal action against the tournament’s organisers.

The parent, whose name The Royal Gazette has withheld, contends that allegations over his conduct in a heated exchange with a relative of the referee after a match between Vasco and PHC at the National Sports Centre last Thursday are unfair and that he and the club have been unfairly punished.

“I’m not this person that I’m being made out to be,” read a letter, which this newspaper has a copy of, that the parent sent to tournament officials.

“The story is getting out of control and if I have to take legal action to clear my name, I will. A non-response and I will immediately contact a lawyer and do what is necessary to clear my name.

“We shouldn’t have to do this, but you have not made a fair judgment. I deserve to defend myself against this and Vasco’s under-15 team doesn’t deserve this. I and the Vasco under-15 team are the victims.”

In the letter, the writer accuses another party involved in the dispute of behaving “inappropriate”.

“It was inappropriate how he approached me in front of people and I responded in the same tone that he gave me without using any profanity,” the letter says.

The parent is adamant that tournament organisers made the incorrect decision to throw Vasco’s under-15 team out of the event as the dispute involved only two parents.

“No other Vasco supporters or members were involved in this,” he said. “I stood up for myself, not Vasco. He stood up for his son, fair enough.”

Nigel Burgess, the Kappa Psi president and event co-chairman, has said that tournament organisers are considering their response.

“The Kappa Classic Committee has not replied to the parent yet, so we would prefer to keep it as a personal matter until that time,” he said. “If the parent is open to sharing the response, we would be open to comment at that time.”

Germano Botelho, the Vasco president, maintains his club had no involvement in the dispute and have been treated unfairly in being disqualified from the tournament.

“This is a bit unfair as we had nothing to do with it,” he said. “Vasco Youth Programme had nothing to do with the incident and will not get involved. It was a matter between two spectators.

“I don’t know what triggered the dilemma. What I can say is that two spectators had words after the final whistle; one was the parent of a player and the other was a parent of the referee.

“It had nothing to do with the teams or any of their actions. This matter was completely outside the game and after the final whistle.”

The former Devonshire Colts player said the committee’s ruling “devastated” his club’s players.

“All the players were devastated not to be able to continue,” he said. “The players had two questions: ‘why and what did we do wrong?’

“They were heartbroken and this is the last year some of our under-15s will play in the Kappa Classic.”

Asked if his club considered taking any action after being disqualified from the tournament, Botelho said: “We can’t take it any further as the Kappa letter stated their decision was final and we respect that.”

Vasco’s disqualification was among a number of incidents at Kappa Classic this year. The Bermuda Police Service were called to the National Sports Centre to deal with an incident involving a number of youths, with a player suspected to have been involved expelled from the tournament.

A video also captured the moment an FC Bascome player was kicked in the chest by an opponent from Dandy Town in an under-7 match. The incident was a factor in FC Bascome’s decision to later withdraw all of their teams.

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