For providing false information that led to a fixture adjustment, disrupting the live television broadcast schedule of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Matchday 31, Kwara United has been fined a total sum of six million naira by the league organizers.
A statement released by the league body on Wednesday, April 23, claimed that the team caused their scheduled Matchday 31 fixture against Akwa United to be moved from Saturday, April 20 to Sunday, April 21, citing a letter claiming that the state government had planned an event at the stadium.
The league body claimed that the information put forward by the club to request the adjustment of the fixture turned out to be false, as there was no such activity by the state government at the stadium, which instead hosted a lower league fixture.
In a two-count summary jurisdiction, the Ilorin-based club was charged with breaching Rule C1.1 and B6.23, thus attracting a total fine of N6m.
“The first charge contained in Form 16 of the Summary Jurisdiction notice dated April 22 read, “You are in breach of Rule C1.1 of the Frameworks and Rules of the Nigeria Professional Football League, in that on Thursday 18 April 2024, prior to your Match Day 31 Fixture: Kwara United FC vs. Akwa United FC, you brought a late application for the rearrangement of the fixture outside of the prescribed time for making such applications, basing your application on a lie and relying on falsified documents, an act capable of bringing the game to disrepute,” the statement reads.
The second charge read, “You are in breach of Rule B6.23 of the Frameworks and Rules of the Nigeria Professional Football League, in that on Thursday 18 April 2024, prior to your Match Day 31 Fixture: Kwara United FC vs. Akwa United FC, you disrupted the live broadcast of a game by making false claims about the unavailability of your home ground.”
A fine of N1million was imposed on Kwara United for misconduct, while N5million was the fine for disrupting a live broadcast.
The statement added that the club has 48 hours from the date of the notice to either submit to the decision or elect to appear before a disciplinary panel in line with Rule C26.
Meanwhile, the league body said a decision to appeal its ruling is to be communicated in writing to the NPFL, while the club must pay the fine within seven working days should the decision not be contested.
Kwara United eventually won the encounter on Sunday through a stoppage-time goal scored by Emmanuel Ogbole.
When contacted to know the position of the club on the fine imposed on them, Jimoh Bashir, the club’s media officer, said there is no official reaction to the sanction from the league body yet from the club.
