MISL Clears Zungul of Tampering in Segota’s Decision

Bill Kentling, Major Indoor Soccer League Commissioner, said Thursday that Tacoma Star forward Steve Zungul was not guilty of tampering in Socker midfielder Branko Segota’s decision not to sign a six-year, $1.2-million contract earlier this season.

Segota is in the option year of a three-year contract and will become a free agent at end of this season if he doesn’t re-sign with the Sockers.

Kentling also ruled that the Stars have not violated the salary cap of $1.275 million per team.

These decisions concluded a month-long investigation by Kentling, who first met with representatives of the Stars--including Zungul--on Jan. 21 in New York .

“It is my belief--after investigations and interviews--that Branko Segota came to his decision on his own,” Kentling said. “He talked to Steve Zungul, but Branko Segota made the decision. Steve Zungul talked to him as a friend, not as a representative of the Tacoma Stars.”

As for charges that the Stars violated the salary cap, Kentling said: “They (Stars) have bookkeeping nightmares, but there is insufficient grounds to go forward on charges of a salary cap violation.”

Kentling added that he is still looking into charges that the Stars have given players bonuses for winning specific games. That is against MISL rules and carries a mandatory $25,000 fine.

“They may have been guilty of having done this on a consistent (game-by game) basis,” said Kentling, who will meet with Star officials in the near future to discuss the matter.

In another matter, San Diego lost in its bid for the 1989 MISL All-Star game. Dallas was selected, with San Diego second and Baltimore third. The 1988 game will be played at Tacoma.

Kentling said one of the reasons that San Diego was not granted the game was because it would have meant playing three consecutive All-Star games on the West Coast.