(Streaker) Adams would be part of a 19-member Under-23 squad to tour Germany, the association disclosed that a three-man tribunal had supported their decision to deduct two points from North Village for playing the suspended Adams in an important league match against Dandy Town in March.

The Island's World Cup goalkeeper was banned by the BFA for failing to attend training sessions with the Under-23 squad which was preparing for the visit of the United States' Olympic team.

While the championship-chasing Red Devils protested the decision, they decided to play Adams anyway in the crucial match against Dandy Town which they won 2-0 on March 20. Six days later the BFA deducted the points which effectively put paid to Village's title hopes, though Town made certain of taking the league by winning their final match of the season against St. George's.

"Having seriously considered all the evidence and information available to us, we have concluded that when all is said and done, the fact remains that Dwayne Adams was under suspension by the national authority and that pending it being lifted either by the BFA or by the appeals process, he remained under suspension,'' BFA president Richard Thompson said in a prepared statement yesterday.

"Hence in accordance with Section four, article 13 of the BFA constitution he was an ineligible player. It then follows that NVCC forfeits the match and the points -- as confirmed by FIFA.'' The members of the tribunal included Sir John Sharpe, Canon James Francis and Llewellyn Wainwright.

Association general secretary David Sabir said it was not the responsibility of the referee to not allow the match to be played, knowing Adams was suspended, but rather the club to adhere to the decisions of the governing body.

"It is entirely up to the club, who had been previously advised of any decision taken by the BFA, to adhere to them,'' said Sabir.

"The referee is strictly in charge of the control of the match and as a result of that he would be outside his jurisdiction in this regard.'' Thompson said no other action had been or would be taken against North Village and that the matter was closed. Adams was re-instated into the national programme once the executive committee received the tribunal's report.

"This decision is binding as was agreed in the first instance, since which time we did invite North Village to this press conference (no official of the club was present) to show that we are, as the governing body of football, not taking the position of strong arming our affiliates,'' Sabir said.

"We certainly wanted to have this resolved prior to any arbitration decision and we believe that the decision certainly upholds the authority invested in the executive committee.'' Thompson said the ongoing correspondence between the association and the club, as well as the change in BFA executives at the recent AGM, contributed to the delay in reaching a decision on the matter.

"There was a lot of correspondence between the club and the association before it was decided that this matter would be referred to an arbitration's tribunal,'' the president explained.

"Even after they were convened to do it there was correspondence between themselves or us and FIFA.'' The association was accused of taking a heavy-handed approach to the matter by suspending Adams and to that suggestion Thompson replied: "Pertaining to the circular we received from FIFA, as a result of that we will be drawing up a national policy regarding players called up for the national programme.'' Dwayne (Streaker) Adams