The League Management Company (LMC) on Thursday in Abuja said it has issued Heartland Football Club of Owerri a Summary Jurisdiction Notice with fines totalling N4,750,000.
In a statement by Harry Iwuala, LMC’s Head of Special Projects, the club has also been ordered to play three home fixtures behind closed doors and handed a suspended points deduction.
The LMC said the sanctions were consequent upon the crowd incidence which trailed their Match Day 28 fixture against FC IfeanyiUbah at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri on Sunday.
“One Mr Iyke Jacob, identified as the Club’s Supporters Club Chairman, was also banned from all Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matches for the rest of the 2015/16 season by the LMC,’’ Iwuala disclosed in the statement.
He said the LMC also recommended to the Imo State Football Association (ISFA) and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to reconsider the role of the ISFA Security Committee Chairman, Teddy Isiadinso.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Isiadinso also serves as a Match Commissioner for the NFF.
The LMC said its recommendation was based on the Match Commissioner’s report.
It had cited Isiadinso as pledging to accept responsibility for any breach of the peace before, during and after the match.
“The Owerri-based club was slammed six-count violations of the NPFL Framework and Rules by the LMC after it reviewed reports and video evidence provided by the Match Commissioner and Delegates to the match,’’ Iwuala said.
Heartland FC was fined N750,000 for failing to ensure restriction of access to restricted areas by unauthorised persons in the course of the match, in breach of Rule B13.52.
“After the Match Day 28 fixture, Heartland FC failed to ensure adequate security and crowd control, particularly in the manner in which match officials and members of the visiting team were exposed to aggression and crowd violence perpetrated by its
supporters.
“For this breach, the club was fined another N750,000.
“On the supporters’ encroachment on to the field of play and throwing objects towards the field of play immediately after the match in breach of Rule B13.18, Heartland has been fined N1 million.
“Heartland FC also breached Rule B6.23 in the course of the match, with their supporters hindering the complete video coverage of the match, particularly the post-match scenes.
“This leads to a fine of N1 million and a two-point deduction for hindering the complete video coverage of the match.
“However, this is provided that the execution of the two-point deduction shall be suspended subject to a probationary period of the remainder of the season”.
Heartland FC were also in breach of Rule C1, punishable by virtue of Rule B15.16, in that immediately after the match, some of their supporters assaulted match officials.
“This was by hitting them and throwing objects (including plastic chairs, tables, stones and cans) at them.
“Having been found culpable, the sanction by the LMC includes a fine of N1.25 million, being compensation to the four match officials and the Match Commissioner at N250,000 for each of them.’’
The club’s supporters were also found to have attacked the visiting players, officials and supporters, leading to damage to the visiting team bus whose windows were shattered.
“Consequently, the club has been ordered to play their next three home matches behind closed doors beginning with the Aug. 7 fixture against Nasarawa United for breach of Rule B13.21.
NAN reports that LMC demands from Heartland FC to respond in writing, accepting the sanctions or elect to be heard by a Commission not later than Friday.
“But should it fail to comply with this requirement within the time limit which constitutes a breach of the League Rules, it will be liable to be dealt with under the provisions of Section C.
“Furthermore, the LMC wants the club to know that in accordance with Rule E1, where an appeal or election to be dealt with by
a Commission fails or is found to have been frivolous, the club may be liable to such additional sanction as may be deemed fit
in the circumstances.’’(NAN)