Confusion over the fate of the arrested Under-23 soccer players has deepened following the decision on Friday night by BAA and Devonshire Colts to apparently defy a Bermuda Football Association directive.

Two of the "Miami Seven'' -- Meshach Wade of BAA and Keishon Smith of Devonshire Colts -- played on Friday although it was generally understood that both were serving a seven year ban.

The BFA imposed that suspension "provisionally'' prior to the players' court appearance in Miami earlier this month when, after consultation between defence lawyers and the prosecution, they pleaded "no contest'' to drugs charges and were released.

However, since that court case the BFA have failed to clarify the players' status.

Repeated requests by this newspaper for clarification on the issue have gone unanswered. And calls to the BFA's office have not been returned.

US Consular Officer in Bermuda Mr. Edmund Leather said last week a "no contest plea'' was "the same as a guilty plea'' and went on a person's record. He indicated the seven players would be placed on the US "Stop List''.

In the weekend's soccer matches, none of the other five players -- Herbie Dillas of Southampton Rangers, Donnie Charles of Boulevard, Shawn Riley of Somerset, Kevin Jennings of North Village and Tokia Russell of PHC -- appeared for their clubs.

None of the seven players are believed to have been reinstated to the Under-23 squad for next month's Pan-Am Games in Argentina.

BFA second vice president Elroy Ratteray was the only association official to return a call yesterday but said since it was policy for statements to be made public only by general secretary David Sabir or president Richard Thompson, he could not offer any comment.

The BFA are understood to have reminded all clubs that the provisional ruling over players' suspension was still in effect.

However, BAA president David Kneisler claimed yesterday his club did not "bend'' any rules.

"We saw the BFA's notification as a request rather than a directive. If it was clear that he (Wade) couldn't play then we wouldn't have played him. It wasn't clearly communicated to us at all.'' Kneisler conceded that BAA's team manager had been told by the BFA earlier last week that Wade could not even participate in training. But he said after a meeting with other clubs and lawyer Delroy Duncan, it was decided they should play Wade.

"We feel that if in actual fact FIFA does rule they can no longer represent their clubs, at that point and time the sentences should be imposed and not before then,'' added Kneisler.

"I personally believe that this thing should have been over and done with the day after the verdict was handed down in Miami because there are only so many decisions that could have been made. We could have prepared ourselves and got some things done instead of letting this thing drag on.'' In dispute appears to be the question of whether the BFA made a request or a directive.

"On the street people are saying a `no contest' means they are still guilty.

Who is right or who is wrong? Nobody seems to know,'' said Kneisler.

MESHACH WADE -- centre of controversy again.