– It smells like they have tried to sweep things under the rug. The general manager of Ranheim football, Frank Lidahl, is crystal clear. Mjøndalen must lose the three points they took against Ranheim. Ranheim should get them, he believes. Christian Gauseth has a similar role in Mjøndalen. He is confronted with Lidahl’s statements. – If Frank Lidahl wants to win football matches after being beaten on the field, but wants to punish human failure, then it will be at his expense, he says to news. – I guess it could be human error. But then they have to take the consequences anyway, says Lidahl. But why is this a topic now? We only have to go back in time about a month. Should never have been on the field The date is 19 August 2024. Mjøndalen beats Ranheim 1–0 away in the men’s 1st division. It is a vital victory for the brown jerseys in the fight against relegation. Fabian Holst-Larsen celebrates with his teammates. But he should never have been on the field. PLAYED WHILE SUSPENDED: Fabian Holst-Larsen. Here from his time as a Strømsgodset player. Photo: NTB Before the transfer to Mjøndalen, he had two yellow cards with him from his time as an Alta player. In addition, he received two new cards for Mjøndalen and was due to serve his quarantine against Ranheim on 19 August, which TV 2 has also mentioned. Ranheim knew about the case before this and says they have reported it to the NFF. – We have received the case from Ranheim and have forwarded it to the justice department, says Rune Pedersen, tournament director in the NFF. Had Ranheim found out that MIF used an ineligible player within 48 hours of the end of the match, they could lodge a protest. – Then we would have won the match on a walkover (automatic 3-0 victory for the other team). But we don’t go around suspecting opponents of cheating. He points to an example from this summer where Mandal’s teammates used an ineligible player against Sandnes Ulf 2. The latter complained within the deadline. And thus they were awarded the victory afterwards. – Can have consequences for almost an entire league But the error was only discovered this week. Long after the deadline for protest. Now Lidahl is calling on the NFF for what he believes is justice. – For me, it is quite obvious that the NFF must step in and override its 48-hour rule. Right must be right. Then Mjøndalen will lose their points and we will get our points. – I consider that to be completely unlikely, counters Gauseth in Mjøndalen. He refers to when YMCA was recently caught using an ineligible player in a cup match. Even then, the error was discovered long after the deadline. Instead of being thrown out of the cup, they received a fine of NOK 200,000. – It is obvious that our case and the YMCA case from spring have identical features. Lidahl has a big problem with the fact that the NFF gave the YMCA settled for a fine. – The practice must be the same regardless of whether it is reported in the first 48 hours after a match or not. He continues: – This could have consequences for nearly half the league, both at the top and bottom. – Want to change Lidahl’s thinking Ranheim’s season could look drastically different if they are awarded the three points against Mjøndalen. Then they are suddenly one point away from a qualification place for the Eliteserien. And for the teams fighting MIF in the relegation battle? – If you fall out of the 1st division, as AaFK can do, then there can be talk of lost jobs and cuts of millions in the economy. – Then I want to change Lidahl’s thinking, says Gauseth. He points out that they have had absences in central positions in the club this season. – If he believes that we should instead move down to a human failure, and that our jobs will be lost as a result, then the argument falls on its own unreasonableness. – Sometimes we make mistakes. It may be illness or health problems, which means that we cannot do our work as we usually do. – WANT TO TURN LIDAHL’S THINKING: Christian Gauseth is puzzled by the Ranheim leader’s comments. Photo: NTB Denies having “swept it under the rug” He acknowledges that the club has failed. – A human error has occurred here. When we were made aware of this, we immediately took out Holst-Larsen in the first possible match, which was also against a pure relegation competitor. Thus, the player served time against Levanger a week later instead of against Ranheim. This is what makes Lidahl claim that Mjøndalen has swept the slip under the rug. – Frank Lidahl can only say that if he wants to, replies Gauseth. – We have now taken the player out of the squad at the first opportunity, even though he is important to us. So we haven’t tried to sweep anything under the rug. We have taken a direct consequence at the first opportunity after becoming aware of the error. CAN SEND REKDAL DOWN: Kjetil Rekdal’s AaFK can ultimately be relegated if Mjøndalen is allowed to keep the points. Photo: NTB Many clubs are affected On Saturday evening, Mjøndalen just beat Aalesund and climbed up on the same number of points in the bottom battle. Thus, the outcome of the case could potentially decide who is relegated from the 1st division. Tarjei Omenås, general manager of AaFK, answers briefly to news: – We have confidence that the NFF will follow up the case and act in accordance with the Fair Play regulations. He replies “no comment” on whether they are going to complain to Mjøndalen, to ensure that they lose the points. Levanger is currently on safe ground, one poor point above Mjøndalen. – Since this has been appealed by Ranheim, we expect the NFF to do what is correct for the league, says Ole Rogstad Jørstad, chairman of Levanger. Ranheim, on the other hand, is fighting against countless teams for the valuable places that provide qualification for the Eliteserien – and a difference of millions in prize money. FIGHTING FOR QUALIFYING: Ranheim and John Hou Sæter are fighting their own battle and need the points. Photo: NTB Asks for clarity from the NFF news knows that the case will now be submitted to the prosecution committee in the union. If they do not drop it, the judgment and sanctions committee in the NFF will decide what the end of the visas will be. Frank Lidahl is ready to go. – It is human to err. But you have to accept the consequences. – It is difficult to see that the NFF has had a precedent and a common thread in the outcome of this type of case in the past. We have to get that now. Christian Gauseth says he will find it very unfair if Mjøndalen lose the three points they took against Ranheim. – We have made a human error, and we acknowledge that error. But if sanctions for human error are to decide the 1st division, then we probably have to have a discussion about what pressure we put on people who are happy in their club and make an effort for the community. Published 29/09/2024, at 08.42
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