by EZRA STUART

THE BARBADOS FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (BFA) has blown the whistle on indiscipline among local players.

A whopping 33 footballers have been debarred from playing in any local tournaments with immediate effect, until they appear before the BFA's disciplinary committee.

In their tough stance, the BFA has sent out a memorandum to the Barbados Football Referees Association, member clubs and out-of-season tournament organisers, informing them of the decision.

The memorandum, which was also copied to the chairman of the BFA's fixtures committee and chairman of the BFA's referees committee, stated that "the disciplinary committee has said that towards the end of the season players and clubs have a tendency to refrain from attending hearings."

The players, who have been prohibited from playing, come from all four of the BFA's divisions and includes Premier League players Omar Primus of Eden Stars, Notre Dame's John Hawkesworth and Terry Odle and Silver Sands' trio Troy Trotman, Dwayne Harris and Tyrone Davis.

Tudor Bridge's Junior Alleyne, Nigel Barker and Shirley Clarke have been charged with bringing their Premier League match against Haggatt Hall, which was played on April 4, into disrepute.

Alleyne and teammate Ricardo Williams were also accused of a similar offence in the match between Tudor Bridge and Youth Milan on March 11.

Whereas most of the other charges are for red card and bookable offences, one player has been cited for assaulting
a referee.

That player, Primus of Eden Stars, was served with an immediate suspension for allegedly assaulting female referee, Kim Smith, in a Premier League match against Haggatt Hall on July 7.