The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has slammed a N5 million fine on Rangers International Football Club for multiple infractions during the Match Day 35 fixture against Enyimba International FC which was held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu on Sunday, June 9.
On Sunday, there were dramatic scenes in Enugu in the highly-anticipated game between Enugu Rangers and defending champions Enyimba, as the game was abandoned deep into stoppage time after fans invaded the pitch.
With the game still goalless in added time, referee John Ojeleye awarded the home side a penalty but the away fans were said to have invaded the pitch in protest, leaving the game abandoned.
The NPFL, through its Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, outlined several breaches of its rules committed by Rangers during the ill-fated encounter in a letter it sent to the club on Monday.
Rangers were found to have violated Rule B15.24, as the club over-ticketed the match, leading to overcrowding at the stadium. This transgression alone drew a fine of N2m.
Furthermore, the club was booked for its inability to provide adequate and effective security measures, contravening Rule B13.52. This lapse attracted a fine of N1m.
Accordingly, Rangers also breached Rule B13.52.1, failing to implement adequate and effective crowd control measures, resulting in an additional fine of N1m.
Also, the club was deemed to have breached Rule B13.52 by failing to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to restricted areas, leading to a further fine of N1m.
The league has ordered Rangers to “implement a more effective crowd control mechanism in subsequent home games.”
Rangers have further been given a 48-hour ultimatum to either accept the charges and the prescribed sanctions or choose to be dealt with by a disciplinary panel.
Failure to comply or a thoughtless appeal may result in additional sanctions, as per Rule E1 of the NPF L’s Frameworks and Rules