CONCACAF president Jack Warner yesterday took a swipe at Bermuda Football Association (BFA) officials for "refusing to contact my office'' and not seeking immediate guidance about what to do about the arrested Under-23 soccer players.

Confusion over the fate of the players swirled at the weekend when three clubs seemingly defied a BFA directive by using them in either First Division or Alliance Division games even though it was understood that they were still serving a seven-year ban.

The CONCACAF executive, a harsh critic of the BFA after the the players were arrested on December 9 on drug charges, slammed the BFA for "not contacting me by now.'' He said he would not comment further until FIFA studied the case.

"I don't want to appear to be at cross purposes with FIFA,'' said Warner, reached on his car phone last night.

Warner did say that the BFA must now launch a formal process with FIFA which will eventually determine whether the bans imposed on the players will be upheld.

In a stinging indictment on the three clubs which used the players -- North Village, BAA and Devonshire Colts -- Warner declared: "I don't think they should have played. The clubs have done so at their own peril.'' Warner jumped into the fray as Kevin Jennings (Village), Meshach Wade (BAA) and Keishon Smith (Devonshire Colts) played in First Division or Alliance Division games on Friday and Saturday.

The BFA -- in concert with a FIFA directive on December 16 -- imposed a suspension on the players "provisionally'' prior to their court appearance in Miami.

All seven recently pleaded "no contest'' to drug charges and were released.

Since the court case, however, the BFA has failed to clarify the players' status.

"What has taken them so long?'' an incredulous Warner asked last night.

BFA general secretary David Sabir, contacted prior to a meeting last night to discuss the situation regarding the latest controversy, declined to comment on the matter. He said any decisions made in regards to the players who defied the suspensions and played in matches would first have to be communicated to clubs.

A US Consular Officer in Bermuda said last week that a "no contest plea'' was tantamount to "a guilty plea'' and would go on a person's record. He also indicated the players' names would be included on the US "stop list''.

Four clubs have so far opted not to use any of the arrested players -- Herbie Dillas of Southampton Rangers, Donnie Charles of Boulevard, Shawn Riley of Somerset and Tokia Russell of PHC.

It remains unknown if any of the players will be reinstated on the Under-23 squad for next month's Pan Am Games. The BFA expect to announce the squad by February 27.

The association did confirm yesterday that Devonshire Colts had been awarded the points from their abandoned match with Devonshire Cougars. The match was stopped in the 82nd minute on January 15 when bottles were thrown onto the pitch by Cougars fans after their team had a goal disallowed. Colts were leading the match 1-0 on an Anthony Wilson goal.

KEVIN JENNINGS -- Played in Alliance Division tilt on Saturday.