Disruptive conduct at Cathedral: NPFL fines Enyimba, Rangers N15m

The Nigeria Premier Football League Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned Rangers International of Enugu and Enyimba International of Aba for their disruptive conduct in the Match Day 35 fixture.

Persecondnews reports that Enyima was fined N10 million, including forfeiture of three points and three goals, as well as a directive to identify and produce for further investigation and appropriate sanctions, players and officials who were complicit in the show of shame at the Cathedral (particularly against the match officials) that led to the discontinuation of the game.

The League said the game was awarded to Enugu Rangers after the Enyimba players staged a walk-out in protest of the penalty given at stoppage time.

Enugu Rangers was also fined N5 million for poor arrangements for the match, especially over-ticketing, breach of stadium security, and poor crowd control.

With three points and three goals awarded to the Enugu Rangers, the Flying Antelopes are now 65 points, six points clear of second-placed Enyimba and third-placed Remo Stars.

Enyimba’s goal difference has now narrowed, posing an additional threat to their tie on points (59) with Remo Stars.

Enyimba’s previous 15-goal deficit has shrunk to 12, just one more than Remo Stars’ 11 goals.

The NPFL Summary Jurisdiction also made “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.”

It further ordered Enyimba to “identify and produce for further investigation and appropriate sanctions other players and officials complicit in the disruptive conducts (particularly against the match officials) that led to a discontinuation of the game, in addition to the following identified players: Eze Ekwutoziam (Jersey No. 6), Chibuike Nwaiwu (Jersey No. 27), and Akanni Elijah (Jersey No. 10).”