airport two weeks ago the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) yesterday released an official statement to the public.

President Richard Thompson slapped the seven players arrested in the US with potentially some of the harshest penalties ever imposed by the BFA.

Herbie Dillas, Donnie Charles, Meshach Wade, Keishon Smith, Shawn Riley, Kevin Jennings and Tokia Russell were suspended from representing Bermuda for life and will be banned from domestic play for seven years.

Although the penalties are provisional and will depend on next week's court trial, the players could face a ban even if they are found innocent in Miami.

When asked if the penalties would only be imposed only if players are convicted, BFA secretary general David Sabir said: "They can still face penalties even (if) they're innocent.'' Wrote Thompson: "During this suspension, the BFA shall request that all players with the help and support of the BFA enter into a counselling or rehabilitation service.'' He added: "At the end of the suspension, all players must attend a BFA Review Board, whose responsibility it shall be to remove the suspension or impose further punishment.'' Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Thompson said: "The Bermuda Football Association regrets that it should have been accused of lying about the events which led up to the arrest of seven members of the Under-23 team in Miami.

"We do not believe we have misrepresented any fact. We are confirming that we received the faxes Mr. Burkhard Ziese sent us, which alleged that seven players had been smoking marijuana in Jamaica. We understand that it is easy to assume, if those two faxes are taken out of the context of a number of other communications received from our representatives in Jamaica, including Mr. Ziese, that we either ignored the warnings, or failed to take appropriate action.

"However, in the light of other communications, we believe the actions we took as a result were entirely appropriate in the circumstances.

Thompson said he welcomed a full inquiry into the scandal, hoping that Commission members began their work "as quickly as circumstances will allow.'' The beleaguered president took offence to "what amounts to a trial of (BFA) actions by the media.'' "There are some sensitive issues involved, not the least of which is the right of the seven young men involved not to be presumed guilty before they have been tried.

"We believe these issues should be aired in the atmosphere of a calm, even-handed and thorough inquiry into the facts, an atmosphere which we believe a Commission of Inquiry will provide.

"In the meantime, the Board of the BFA and its staff are quite clear that resignations are neither appropriate in the circumstances, nor would they serve the cause of soccer in Bermuda.''