BEVERLY HILLS, March 20, (THEWILL) – Two clubs that play in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Sunshine Stars and Ifeanyi Ubah FC have been charged for violating sections of the Rules and Frameworks during their Match Day 15 fixtures.
In the case of Sunshine Stars, they were in breach of the rules in their match against Nasarawa United when some members of their contingent were alleged to have harassed match officials as said officials made their way to the changing room at the interval.
It was so unruly that it was until the following day before the second half resumed as play was discontinued following the harassment.
By that very act, Sunshine Stars were charged for breach of Rule B8.21 which constitutes “(failure to ensure adequate security for match officials) and C1.1 (misconduct) of the Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Professional Football League”.
The penalty for the breach according to the ruling of the League Management Company (LMC) is a fine against Sunshine Stars of N2million for the disruption of the match and for the harassment of the match officials. That was not all, because the Akure-based club was also to pay N1million from which compensation was to be paid to the affected match officials; and another N500,000 for a “misconduct capable of bringing the game to disrepute” charge.
To complete the penalty for the contravention, Sunshine Stars were mandated to play their next two home matches of Matchdays 17 and 19 in Lagos. This mandatory order was to be reviewed upon the club’s provision of satisfactory stadium security plan for their own home grounds going forward.
As an act of deterrence, the LMC also ordered the club to cooperate with relevant security agencies towards the identification and prosecution of those involved in the breach.
Concerning Ifeanyi Ubah FC, the LMC’s summary jurisdiction exercise charged the club with harassment of match officials in their Matchday 15 tie against Rivers United. After the match, as officials made their way to the changing room, some team contingents accosted these match officials expressing their displeasure with the outcome of the match.
That act was deemed as amounting to a breach of Rule B8.21 (failure to ensure adequate security for match officials) and C1.1 (misconduct) of the Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Professional Football League by the LMC.
The LMC also considered it an aggravated breach of the rules in view of previous similar occurrences and a letter of undertaking by Rivers United for the security of match officials dated 15/01/21. That confrontation with match officials breached this undertaking and rendered it void.
Therefore, in the exercise of the LMC’s power of summary jurisdiction, it imposed a N1million fine on Ifeanyi Ubah FC for failure to ensure adequate protection for match officials; and a separate fine of N1million for the match officials due to the harassment they suffered.
Just as in the case of Sunshine, there were further sanctions, which included a fine of N1million from which compensation is to be paid to the match officials and a fine of N500,000 for misconduct capable of bringing the game to disrepute in the domestic competition.
As part of the consequences, the LMC ordered Ifeanyi Ubah to play their home matches at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu until a satisfactory revised stadium security plan is provided and approved before they were to be allowed home matches on their home grounds again.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
