suspension cut short
HAMILTON, Bermuda, (CMC) – A Bermuda footballer who was banned for five years for refusing to play for his country during a Digicel Caribbean Cup match in the Cayman Islands two years ago has had his suspension cut short.

Kris Frick, who was handed the five-year international ban by the Bermuda Football Association (BFA), is now free to play for the national team again.

Frick incurred the wrath of the BFA during the trip to the Caymans in 2008 when he refused to play after being named as a substitute for the game against St Maarten.

Frick then left the Caribbean island, bringing widespread condemnation from within the governing body. Then BFA president Larry Mussenden described it as “one of the most serious actions a player can do when representing Bermuda.”

But on Friday a spokesman said the BFA’s executive council had reviewed the suspension during a meeting last week and “were of the opinion that the suspension issued was worthy of consideration and as a result took the decision to grant Kris early reinstatement and considered the suspension as time already served.”

At the time of the incident, BFA technical director Derek Broadley said that he, as well as a number of players and coaches, had tried to persuade Frick to come back to the team while in the Caymans but to no avail.