The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on Monday sanctioned Enyimba FC and Rangers International for breaching its framework and rules in their matchday 35 encounter, TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) can exclusively report.
The NPFL awarded three points and three goals to Rangers International and fined Enyimba FC the sum of ten million Naira for breaching five frameworks.
It would be recalled that the Oriental Derby, matchday 35 encounter between both teams at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium on Sunday was abandoned following the controversial penalty awarded to the home team, Rangers International in the dying minutes.
Giving its verdict on Monday, Enyimba was found to have breached various contracts binding the NPFL and subsequently served a letter of sanctions.
According to the letter served to Enyimba, the Aba based clubsides was guilty of contravening Rule B13.18 as its team and supporters threw objects and encroached onto the field of play.
Furthermore, the club was deemed to have breached Rule C1.1 by refusing to continue the match in protest against a penalty awarded to their opponents, an act deemed “against the principles of fair play, sportsmanship, the league rules, and capable of bringing the game to disrepute.”
They were found guilty of violating Rule B13.24 by causing chaos, disruption and discontinuation of the match, an action capable of bringing the league to disrepute.
As a result the NPFL has imposed a series of stringent sanctions on the club including a fine of N1m for failing to ensure the proper conduct of their team; A fine of N5m for disrupting a live broadcast; A fine of N1m for throwing objects onto the field of play; A fine of N1m for encroachment onto the field of play; An order forfeiting three points and three goals in favour of their opponent for refusing to allow the penalty awarded against them to be taken, thereby disrupting the match and bringing the game into disrepute; A fine of N2m for causing the disruption and discontinuation of the match.
Additionally, Enyimba has been ordered to identify and produce for further investigation and appropriate sanctions other players and officials complicit in the disruptive conduct that led to the discontinuation of the game. The identified players include Eze Ekwutoziam (Jersey No. 6), Chibuike Nwaiwu (Jersey No. 27), and Akanni Elijah (Jersey No. 10).
However, the league body has given Enyimba 48 hours to either submit to the summary jurisdiction and the prescribed sanctions or elect to be dealt with by a disciplinary panel. Failure to comply or a frivolous appeal may result in additional sanctions.
On its part, despite being given three maximum points, Rangers International will cough out a fine of N5m for various offences, including non provision of adequate security, encroachment on to the pitch by fans and other unauthorized persons as well as sales of tickets to spectators more than the stadium capacity leading to encroachment of the pitch.
Both clubs have 48 hours to appeal the decision by the NPFL.
With this decision, Rangers International remain on top of the league table with 64 points from 35 matches while Enyimba FC and Remo Stars are in second and third positions with 59 points each.
There are still three more games to go but Rangers FC remain on course to win the title this season.