By Daily Sports on March 5, 2020

Four clubs and two club leaders have been sanctioned by the League Management Company (LMC) for conducts that undermined the security of match referees at their home games.

Rangers International, Warri Wolves, Dakkada FC and Akwa United, as well as the General Managers of Rangers and Warri Wolves, were cited in recent disciplinary rulings of the LMC aimed at maintaining decorum at Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matches.

The decisions were reached after the LMC considered reports of the match commissioners at the fixtures of MatchDay 20 and 21 involving the four clubs.

Warri Wolves were sanctioned on a two-count charge of failure to submit team list for the Matchday 20 in breach of Rule B13.37 and also for the act of throwing of objects to the field of play by their supporters in breach of Rule 13.18.

Moses Etu, the General Manager of Warri Wolves, was charged for inciting supporters to harass and intimidate the visiting team and match officials in contravention of Rule C1.3 and specifically for inciting a supporter, Isaiah Ughojor, to assault media officials of the visiting team and a journalist covering the game in breach of Rule C1.3.

Warri Wolves were fined N200,000 for failure to submit team list and N750,000 for the throwing of objects on to the field of play by its supporters.

The Club General Manager, Etu, was issued a reprimand and caution to desist from further such behaviour failing which the full weight of the rules would be enforced on his further participation in NPFL activities.

Rangers International was sanctioned on two counts of breach of Rule 8.21 during and after their match with Akwa United in Enugu. Supporters of Rangers were found to have gained authorised access to the dressing room and also for physical assault, beating up and preventing match officials from leaving the stadium after the match.

Davidson Owumi, the club General Manager, was charged with exposing the match officials to verbal abuse by club supporters at his residence after they were rescued from the physical assault at the stadium and for personally verbally abusing the match officials at his residence in a language unbecoming of a club official.

Rangers were fined N1,500,000 for failure to provide adequate security pursuant to Rule 8.21 and N1,000,000 as compensation for the assault on the match officials pursuant to Rule C12 and to be paid within 10 working days. Owumi was cautioned to desist from such conduct or face further disciplinary measures in line with Rule C19.

Akwa United were cited for breach of Rule B8.21 in their match against Warri Wolves on Matchday 21 when they failed to provide adequate security which led to assault on match officials after the game in Uyo.

The LMC in a summary jurisdiction exercise fined the club N1,000,000 for failure to provide adequate security in breach of Rule B8.21, another N1,000,000 as compensation to the match officials and an order to play their next three home matches behind closed doors. The fines must be paid within 10 working days.

Another Uyo-based club, Dakkada FC, also came under the LMC disciplinary hammer for breaches of Rules B13.18 and B8.21 on their MatchDay 21 game against Kwara United. The club was charged for their supporters throwing objects including bottled water at match officials at half time and for failure to provide adequate security which led to attack on the match officials in the dressing room.

Dakkada FC are to pay N1,000,000 for throwing of objects at Match Officials, N1,000,000 for failure to provide adequate security and N1,000,000 as compensation to the assaulted match officials. The club has also been ordered to play their next three home matches behind closed doors to fans.

The clubs and the cited club officials are to respond in writing to the LMC within 48 hours accepting the rulings or electing to appeal.

•PHOTO: LMC Chairman Shehu Dikko

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 5, 2020

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