The Nigeria Premier Football League has brought down the hammer on Enyimba International football club, imposing a series of hefty sanctions following the club’s conduct in the mayhem that occurred on Match Day 35 fixture against Rangers International FC at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu on Sunday, June 9.
On Sunday, the highly anticipated match took a dramatic turn deep into the added time. With the game still goalless, referee John Ojeleye awarded the home side a penalty but the away fans were having none of it, storming the pitch in protest, leaving the game abandoned.
Davidson Owumi, the NPFL’s Chief Operating Officer said the club had breached several rules in a letter addressed to Enyimba on Monday.
The club was deemed to have breached Rule C9, having failed to ensure the proper conduct of its players, officials, and supporters. The club was also cited for breaching Rule B6.23, disrupting the transmission of a live broadcast.
Ruling its verdict on Monday, the letter noted that Enyimba contravened Rule B13.18 as its team and supporters threw objects and encroached onto the field of play.
Perhaps, the most serious indictment was the violation of 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.”
Consequently, the NPFL has imposed a series of heavy 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).
The NPFL has given Enyimba 48 hours to either accept the charges and the accompanying sanctions or choose to be dealt with by a disciplinary panel.
Failure to comply or a thoughtless appeal may result in additional sanctions.