The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has fined Super United Sports (SUS) MVR 200,000 and relegated the club to the third division after it withdrew from the first division.

SUS announced its decision to abandon the competition, citing financial difficulties. The club, which previously played in the third division in 2016, 2017, and 2018, finishing runners-up in 2018, earned promotion to the first division in 2020.

Following SUS’s withdrawal, FAM confirmed that New Radiant Sports Club has been promoted to the first division.

In its statement, FAM said the penalty was imposed under the authority of its Executive Committee, both as a fine and as disciplinary action resulting in relegation to the Malé League Qualification (third division).

Meanwhile, New Radiant Chairman Ahmed Mubeen criticised the handling of the decision, claiming that “deals” had influenced both SUS’s withdrawal and New Radiant’s promotion.