LMC sanctions Abia Warriors, Sunshine Stars

 

The Umuahia and Akure based outfits have been fined for their fans' unruly behaviour 12 match officials have been suspended

Abia Warriors and Sunshine Stars have been fined  seven hundred thousand (N700,000) and two million and five hundred naira (2, 500,000) by the League Management Company.
The LMC also wrote the Nigeria Football Federation, demanding the suspension of 12 referees over poor performance and fined Enyimba's masseur Ifeanyi Kalu for N250, 000 on Thursday.
"Sunshine Stars and Abia Warriors have been sanctioned by the League Management Company (LMC) for disruptive behaviour of their fans in recent matches just as Enyimba’s Masseur, Mr. Ifeanyi Kalu was handed a one year ban from all activities of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and his club fined N250,000," the LMC announced on Thursday.

"In a related development, the LMC has written to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) requesting the exclusion of 12 Referees from further officiating of NPFL matches pending investigations into their respective performances in recent matches.

"A total fine of N2.7m has been imposed on Sunshine Stars for various breaches of the rule including failure to provide adequate security, assault on match officials, throwing of object into the field of play, delaying the start of the second half and throwing of object at an official of Heartland FC.

"The breaches were committed in the course of their Match Day 33 fixture against Heartland at the Akure Township Stadium. In addition to the fine, Sunshine Stars will now serve the one match behind closed door which was earlier imposed as a suspended punishment for similar breaches on Match Day 17 fixture against Warri Wolves. The assaulted Assistant Referee and the injured Heartland official will be paid compensations of N250, 000 each from the fine.

"Abia Warriors are being sanctioned for the conduct of its fans in the Match Day 34 fixture against FC IfeanyiUbah and has been fined a total of N2.5m in addition to playing two matches behind closed door.
"For performances that has been perceived to have raised integrity concerns in recent league matches, the League Management Company (LMC) has written to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) requesting for the immediate exclusion of 12 Referees from officiating in matches pending the review of their performances in the said matches.

"The 12 match officials are made up of four center referees and eight assistant referees who officiated in fixtures of Match Day 33, 34 and 35. The matches are Match Day 33 in Makurdi between Nasarawa United and Rangers International, match day 34 fixture in Umuahia between Abia Warriors and FC IfeanyiUbah, match day 35 in Nnewi between FC IfeanyiUbah and Akwa United and that in Lokoja between Niger Tornadoes and Enyimba.”
Source:goal