The League Management Company (LMC), organisers of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), have imposed sanctions on Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia, one of their players and two backroom staff.
The sanctions were in the wake of the disturbances which trailed the club’s Match Day 4 fixture in Lafia on Wednesday.
The club will now play all their home matches behind closed doors indefinitely with some financial penalties, while a player, Seun Komolafe, will serve a one-year ban.
Their Curator, Aliyu Hamzat, is to serve a life ban from all NPFL match venues and activities, while the Media Officer, Eche Amos, has also been fined and cautioned.
A statement by the LMC late on Friday in Abuja disclosed that all the sanctions were to come into effect immediately.
‘’Komolafe is to serve a one-year ban starting immediately for accosting and assaulting the match officials and for inciting the club supporters to commit violence against match officials in the match against Plateau United in breach of Rule C11 and C1.3.
‘’Hazmat has been banned for life from participating in all NPFL match venues and activities for leading the attack on the referee and other match officials in violation of Rule C11 of the Framework and Rules of the NPFL.
‘’Amos was sanctioned for breach of Rule C1, for releasing or causing to be released a written press statement unfairly criticising match officials, conduct deemed capable of bringing the League to disrepute.
‘’He is to pay a fine of 100,000 Naira, with a warning to desist from such conduct,’’ the statement indicated.
It showed further that Nasarawa United were charged for breaches of Rule B13.18, B13.52.1, B13.52.2 and C1 for which they were fined a cumulative fine of 4,250,000 Naira.
This includes a 1,250,000 Naira compensation for the assaulted match officials.
‘’Under Rule B1.18, the club was charged for the action of its supporters who threw objects, including stones towards match officials.
‘’This attracted a fine of one million Naira, while another fine of one million Naira was also imposed on the club for failure to ensure adequate crowd control and prevention of access by unauthorized persons to a restricted area which led to the attack on match officials as they headed to the dressing room.
‘’This is considered a breach of Rules B13.52.1 and B13.52.2.’’
Nasarawa United were also charged for breach of Rule C1, punishable by virtue of Rule B15.17, for conducts capable of bringing the game to disrepute.
This was through the action of some of their supporters, a player and an official of the club in assaulting match officials and causing disturbances.
This also attracted a fine of one million Naira and another 1,250,000 Naira to be paid as compensation to the match officials pursuant to Rule C12.
In addition, they will be responsible for the costs of all verified medical expenses of the assaulted match officials.
The statement added that Nasarawa United have 10 working days to pay the imposed fines, otherwise further disciplinary actions would be imposed.
The LMC further issued an order of closure of gates to fans for all Nasarawa United home matches for an indefinite period.
