Red Card War of Words: St. Paul’s vs Referees Over Finals Official
The 2025 SKNFA Premier League Finals haven’t even kicked off yet — but the fight has already started off the pitch.
St. Paul’s Football Club (SPFC), one of the Federation’s most decorated teams, dropped a bombshell this week, demanding that referee Trevester “Chad” Richards be removed from officiating the championship clash against Village Superstars. In a fiery letter to the SKNFA, the club listed a string of reasons — from family ties to past controversies — that they say make Richards unfit for the job.
Among the claims:
⚽ Richards has immediate relatives playing for Village Superstars
⚽ He once suited up for Village himself
⚽ His brother was murdered nearly 15 years ago by individuals from St. Paul’s, a tragedy they say could compromise neutrality
⚽ Alleged public remarks against SPFC
⚽ Recent removal from FIFA’s international referees list
⚽ A disputed role in the 2023 Finals penalty shootout
The club even accused SKNFA President Atiba Harris of allegedly hinting that Richards would be used to “stop St. Paul’s from repeating as champions.” Their bottom line? If Richards takes the whistle, SPFC says they’ll have no choice but to withdraw from the Finals.
💥 Referees Department Hits Back
The St. Kitts-Nevis Referees Department wasted no time clapping back, calling the accusations “unfounded, distasteful, and deeply misleading.” In a strongly worded statement, the department doubled down on Richards’ professionalism, stressing that:
✅ All referees are bound by strict SKNFA and FIFA codes of ethics
✅ Personal tragedies cannot be weaponized to smear officials
✅ Appointments are made fairly, with no bias or outside influence
“An attack on one referee’s credibility is an attack on all referees’ credibility,” the statement read, adding that Richards and the full team of officials for the Finals have their complete confidence.
🚨 Respect for the Game at Stake
Beyond the finger-pointing, officials warned that public campaigns to vilify referees damage trust in the sport itself. “Football can only grow when all stakeholders uphold respect for one another,” the Referees Dept. said, urging SPFC to use proper channels instead of waging the battle in the media.
👀 Final Whistle?
With SPFC threatening to boycott and the Referees Dept. standing firm, the tension heading into this year’s Finals is higher than ever. Will St. Paul’s take the field? Will Richards keep the whistle?
One thing is clear — the opening whistle might not be the loudest sound this Finals season.
