Giwa FC has been fined N5 million and ordered to play their next three home matches at the Ilorin Township Stadium.
The
sanctions on the club and its media officer by the League Management
Company, LMC, followed investigations into the circumstances that led to
the abandoning of the Match Day 12 fixture between the club and Rangers
last Sunday.
The
LMC issued Giwa FC with a Summary Jurisdiction Notice containing six
separate breaches of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)
Framework and Rules and accordingly sanctioned the club on each count
while the club’s Media Officer, David King, was fined N100, 000 for
breach of Clauses 1.1 and 1.5 of the code of conduct for club officials.
Some
supporters of the club disrupted the fixture severally by hurling
dangerous objects on the field aimed at the second assistant referee,
forcing the referee to call off the match on the 74th minute.
The
LMC in a statement on Tuesday said after careful study of the match
report and assessment of video evidence, it charged Giwa FC with
breaches of Rule B13.18, B13.21, B13.52, C9, C12 and C1.
For
the discontinuation of the match due to the unruly conduct of the
supporters, Giwa FC was fined N5 million in line with B13.18 while the
match will be concluded behind closed doors from the 74th minute on
Wednesday, April 27 at the Abuja National Stadium with scores at 1-0 in
favour of Rangers.
Giwa
FC was ordered to play their next three home games at the Ilorin
Township Stadium for the unruly conduct of their supporters which
included throwing of objects towards the field of play and to the second
assistant referee.
For
failing to ensure adequate security, crowd control and preventing
access by unauthorised persons to restricted areas, Giwa FC was found to
be in breach of Rule B13.52 and the club was accordingly fined N500,
000 while the club was fined N750, 000 for failure to control their
players and officials in line with the provisions of Rules C9.
For
the assault on the Match Commissioner and Referee, Giwa FC was fined
N500, 000 in line with Rule C12 while the club was further “required to
ensure, within the next seven days, that in addition to the apprehension
of one of the suspects, Goje, his co-culprit identified as Apiya is
also apprehended and prosecuted by the relevant security agencies for
assaulting the Referee, failure of which a fine of N25,000.00 per day
shall accrue, until such time the offender is apprehended and charged to
court”.
The
LMC said it is has received reports that the two supporters are
notorious for acts of violent assault on match officials and were said
to be serving a two-year match ban before the incident of last Sunday.
It
also ruled that in addition, “for acts and conduct capable of bringing
the game to disrepute in breach of Rule C1, a suspended two-point
deduction has been imposed on Giwa FC which will be triggered should
there be any subsequent incidents of disturbances by supporters of the
Club for the remainder of the season.
Giwa
FC has 48 hours within which to indicate in writing the acceptance of
the exercise of Summary Jurisdiction or elect to appear before a
commission