NIFL Championship managers released a statement on Tuesday night in which they have requested an urgent meeting with senior representatives from NIFL and the IFA in relation to their position of being designated as non-elite.

The managers feel that they have been ‘let down’ by both local government and football authorities and they have called for the league to be regraded with elite status.

“As a group we want to be heard and to be granted an urgent meeting with senior representatives from NIFL and the IFA in relation to our position,” said the statement which was supported by all 12 Championship managers.

“As a group of managers, we are asking NIFL to live up to their stated aim and to support the re-grading of the NIFL Championship to elite status, with immediate effect and allow players, coaches, members and fans of all our clubs to have a little solace in this extremely testing and unique time.

“Allow our clubs to be diligent and support our local communities by bringing some normality and balance in a time of great stress and discomfort to us all.”

The group feel that they fall into the elite category as described by Sport NI.

“The NIFL Championship is classified as ‘Senior’ by the NIFL and a ‘Professional’ league by the Irish FA. This is exactly the same definition as the NIFL Premiership. In addition, Sport NI define elite status as someone who ‘plays in a professional league or competition’ or derives a living from competing in sport’.

“Many of our clubs and players and coaches have ambitions to reach the premier division. We feel we have been let down by both our Local Government and our football authorities in relation to our attempt to start our league campaign because our inability to do so is directly linked to the elite status issue,” it read.

They also argue that there is both a mental and financial affect on the players.

“As a group of highly qualified, focused and driven individuals we are well aware of the sacrifices that many individuals and groups have made in our societal effort to fight and reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, each and every manager has been contacted by players within our squads who have commented on the difficulties they are experiencing as a result of limited training and the uncertain prospect of our league commencing and being completed, even with a truncated or curtailed format.

“In addition, there are important financial implications for all our players who, although part-time, rely to a greater or lesser extent on their football related income.”

The statement continues: “Herein lies the crux of the matter what is the definition of elite? The NI Public Health Legislation (June 2020) concurs with the Sport NI definition of an elite athlete as someone who ‘plays in a professional league or competition’ or derives a living from competing in sport’.

“With over 70 professional players and coaches within our league, we believe that those players and coaches are being discriminated against by the non-elite grading of Championship football whilst the football authorities and the government have granted elite status to the Premiership.”