The 2005 champions Thai Tobacco Monopoly (TTM) team and runners-up Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) were disqualified from the tournament after failing to submit their paperwork in time.

"It's not fair. We are newcomers and don't have any experience in big tournaments like the AFC, so the FAT should guide us step by step, but they didn't," said TTM vice-president Mongkolwat Ruhanont.

"We've only received the documents to enrol our team on February 9, while the PEA say theirs arrived on the 14th, so it was impossible to meet the deadline of February 12.

"The FAT never informed us about regulations or methods for the AFC Champions League. We had to find every document ourselves and they [the FAT] never sent us any."

PEA manager Adisorn Kiatchokewiwat was also very disappointed with the lack of assistance from the FAT, saying they should provide more help to the teams, especially those with little inexperience. "We are ready for the competition, but cannot play," he said.

"We got the registration documents on February 14, two days after the deadline. How come? We don't understand why the FAT didn't notify us earlier.

"As the national association, they take full responsibility for contacting the AFC, while as a club we can't. We did all we can but the AFC asserts that the regulations are the regulations.

"We regret the inefficiency of the FAT."

Two Indonesian clubs and one each from Yemen and Oman were also barred from the continent's premier club competition for the same reason.

Both club officials said they had no immediate plans to take legal action.

This season is the first time the AFC has not allowed late registrations, but last year they accepted delays of up to five working days with a fine of US$5,000 (Bt200,000).

AFC president Mohamed bin Hammam said on Friday that the decision to disqualify the clubs should serve as a lesson that amateurism would not be tolerated.

"Clubs throughout Asia have made great strides to improve their administrative practices and we can only hope that this decision serves as a lesson to show that the AFC will not tolerate such lapses in the future."

Montreechai Lumyongsatian

The Nation