Abandoned match: NPFL awards points to Rangers, fines Enyimba N10m, hosts N5m

Source: The Guardian

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), yesterday, awarded three points and three goals to Enugu Rangers, whose game against Enyimba, at the weekend, was disrupted by fans alleged to be supporters of Enyimba of Aba.

The game at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on Sunday, was abandoned in the 98th when the centre referee awarded a controversial penalty kick to Rangers, leading to a riotous situation, which forced the officials to call off the game.

In its decision on the game yesterday, the NPFL charged both Rangers and Enyimba for breaching the rules of the game.

Specifically, the NPFL ordered Enyimba to pay N10 million and ordered the Aba side to identify and produce for further investigation and appropriate sanctions the players and officials involved in the fracas that led to the discontinuation of the game.

Enyimba also lost three points and three goals as punishment for their role in the crisis.

The NPFL cited Rangers for breach of Rule B15.24 relating to selling tickets beyond the capacity of the stadium, leading to overcrowding and endangering the safety of players, match officials and fans.

It said in a statement: "Based on the same rule B13.52, Rangers were also charged for failure to provide adequate and effective security before, during and after the match.

"On a third count, Rangers were charged with a breach of Rule B13.52.1 for failing to implement adequate and effective crowd control measures. On a fourth count, the Enugu side was also charged for failure to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to restricted areas.

"For the listed breaches, Rangers was fined a total of N5 million and ordered to implement a more effective crowd control mechanism in subsequent home games."

The NPFL explained the specific charges against Enyimba to include "breaches of Rule C9, B6.23, B13.18, C1.1 and B13.24.

"On charge B6.23, Enyimba was fined N5 million for disrupting on-going transmission of a live match broadcast and an order for the forfeiture of three points and three goals in favour of your opponents for refusing to allow the penalty awarded in favour of your opponents to be taken, thereby disrupting the match and bringing the game to disrepute".

The NPFL said the two clubs are expected to in accordance with Rule C26, required, within 48 hours of the date of the issuance of the notice of the charges and the fines, to either submit to the summary jurisdiction and the sanctions or elect to be dealt with by a disciplinary panel.

"They are also required to communicate in writing whichever option they adopted within seven working days."