Mioks in crisis

THE pride of Engan rugby league – the Toyota Mioks – are sinking into a deepening crisis following the recent sacking of three team officials by the Mioks board.
Mioks board chairman Robert Ganim said the trio was sacked basically over disciplinary reasons.
The entire Mioks team have now threatened that “they are ready to leave the camp with the officials” if the technical officials were not reinstated as soon as possible.
In a petition to the Mioks board and signed by team captain David Ako and 15 others, the Mioks board was informed in no uncertain terms that the decision to terminate the services of team manager Timothy Lepa, coach John Passingan and trainer Charles Akato had adversely affected team morale and spirit.
 “We are not happy with the decision the board had made,” read the petition, which was dated Aug 18 but only faxed to The National last Friday.   
“As we have only five games remaining, it would be better if our technical officials are reinstated as soon as possible for the betterment of the team.
“If the decision is not made in the favour of our technical officials, then we are ready to leave the camp with our officials,” the petition read.
The names of 16 players are listed in the petition with their signatures beside their names.
They are Ako, Joseph Tae, Jason Tali, Joel Goui, James Gend, Wanpis James, Gibson Kissam, Terry Tapano, Joel Ambross, Essay Sunie, James Maniga, Mai Tom, David Loko, Philip Uvovo, Jonah Neka and Thomas Kumgi.
In a separate letter, a copy of which was faxed to The National, trainer Akato said that serious allegations of neglect to duties resulting in the loss to the Civpac Vipers on Aug 2 in Port Moresby, levelled at him by the board, were unfounded. He claimed he diligently attended to his duties to train the Mioks.
“The main reason we lost to the Vipers was that we had up to six players nursing injuries.  The board stating that no serious training sessions were conducted is not true as far as I know.”
Akato pleaded for reinstatement saying “we only have a few games which are crucial and very important and I promise that I will never let the team, board and sponsors down”.