Bermuda Football Association?s (BFA) decision to rename a tournament honouring the legacy of one of its own stalwarts has ruffled feathers in the local football community.

Late last week the BFA announced that the Ministry of Education, Sports and Recreation had taken over sponsorship of the annual Dudley Eve Trophy to the tune of $150,000 over a ten-year period.

At the same time they said the competition would in future be known as the ?Premier?s Dudley Eve Cup?.

And while Government?s decision to sponsor the event was met with widespread approval, the association?s decision to rename the tournament involving the top four teams from the Premier and First Divisions at the halfway stage of the season has not gone down quite so well.

Among those up in arms is Honorary BFA Vice-President Cal (Bummy) Symonds who claims there are those on the current BFA administration who fail to realise the late Dudley Eve?s contributions to football in Bermuda.

?It shouldn?t have been done in the first place, it?s as simple as that. And when I first heard the tournament would now be called the Premier?s Dudley Eve, I thought to myself, this thing is out of control,? Symonds complained.

?The Premier never played football and if he wanted to get in the action, then he should?ve renamed the Martonmere Cup the Premier?s Cup.

?I?m just as upset as Alfie (the late Eve?s son Alfie Eve) because it takes away from some of the things Dudley Eve achieved for the administration of football in this country.

?A lot of young people in the BFA don?t realise this, or have even given this whole thing a thought or two. I like Premier Ewart Brown, but I don?t think he should be involved although the Government have agreed to sponsor the tournament.

?As I said before, if the Premier wants a tournament named after him then he should rename the Martonmere Cup and leave Dudley Eve as it was before.

?Dudley Eve went beyond the call of duty for football in this country, and most young people in this Island don?t even know it.?

Local sports historian Warrington (Soup) Zuill, meanwhile, accused Government of using the tournament as a ?political football?.

?This whole thing just shows total disrespect for what Dudley Eve has contributed to football by putting the Premier?s name ahead or even being involved with the competition,? Zuill said.

?The big question now is who made the decision to put the Premier?s name ahead of the Dudley Eve? Did the chairman of the BFA?s League and Cup Competition Committee (Charles Clarke) have any say in the matter? Or was it done by consultation through the acting Sports Minister (Neletha Butterfield)?

?I would like to know which committee made the decision because the BFA is made up of affiliates.?

When contacted yesterday, BFA league and cup competitions chairman Charles Clarke referred all queries to the association?s hierarchy.

Long-serving Somerset Cricket Club member Neville Virgil went as far as to call for all of the clubs involved in this year?s tournament, that kicks off tonight at the Den, to boycott the event in protest of the BFA?s decision to rename the competition.

?I have a lot of respect for the Premier, but this is one time I think he has got it wrong, straight up! I think this whole thing is wrong and Mussenden (BFA president Larry Mussenden) should?ve known better or seen the light,? Virgil told .

?Right is right and wrong is wrong and I personally feel to myself that everyone should boycott the game because I?m just fed up with the whole situation.?

Honorary BFA Life Vice President Gerard Bean commented: ?Certainly during the naming of the trophy at that time (1978-79) we thought it had great merit. But what has happened or transpired since is now a matter for the association?s current administration to handle.?