NASARAWA United FC of Lafia boss, Barrister Isaac Danladi, has picked hole in the pronouncement of the Nigeria Football Federation Disciplinary Committee which ordered the continuation of their Week 38 match against Giwa Football Club of Jos.
Danladi has expressed displeasure at the outcome of the Disciplinary Committee to have ordered for continuation of the match, which was discontinued by Giwa FC in breach of article B13.26 of the Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Professional Football League.
While addressing a press conference in Abuja, the soft spoken astute football administrator said; "There was nothing wrong in the game as far as Nasarawa United is concerned. We scored two good goods that was not contested by Giwa players and officials and in the 34th minute there was an infringement and the centre referee was attending to an injured Nasarawa United player and in the process the ball went out to throw-in in favour of Nasarawa United and while Nasarawa United is attempting to go and throw the ball a player of Giwa Amos Gyang (no. 11) headed straight to the ball boy who have dropped the ball and was heading to go and pick the other ball punched him on the tommy and he fell down. The referee didn't saw what happened but the AR2 drew his attention and issued Gyang red card and he refused to leave the field of play and other players of Giwa rush up with the referee and Nojeem Raji, gave him a punch on his head and was also given the marching order and they refused to leave the pitch."
"Giwa secretary ordered the players to discontinue the game in protest of the two red cards and the centre referee blew his whistle in continuation of the game from the throw-in but Giwa players were adamant and the referee waited on the field till the end of first half and decided to call off the match and LMC in its own wisdom and going by the rules article 13:26 decided to award 3points, 3goals to Nasarawa Utd and also deducted 3points, 3goals from the accumulated points of Giwa which is the normal thing to do and to our greatest surprise two weeks after the game we were told that Giwa FC filed a protest against us in respect of the conduct of the match."
"We appeared and were given a copy of the protest and discovered that the protest was watery and lack merit and all they were talking about is complain against the referee and also that two of their players were injured, and they have no right whatsoever to abandoned the match, they claimed their camera was sized which was a blatant lie."
"We're appealing the ruling and the whole world will know the truth but, I must say that the Disciplinary Committee is rottened and something urgent need to be done because the caliber of people there are questionable because we have also received information that a member of the Disciplinary Committee has been induced because his club has gone on relegation and because Nasarawa United is passive to be the club that compounded the problem of that club and that was the reason he is taking such decision and it tells you the level where our football is been taking and it is necessary to invite the appropriate body to go into the NFF because the house stinks because this is corruption and it is not all given money but not doing the right thing is also corruption."
"If you look at Giwa's protest they are asking for 3points, 3goals under which rule? They are asking again that the match should be played at a neutral ground or the match should be canceled, but decision the Disciplinary Committee came out with are not even the prayers they asked for, so why do you give someone the prayer he never asked for? It is quite suspicious."
However, Nasarawa United FC has filed in appeal before the NFF Appeals Committee, by virtue of article E1 of the league rules.
Nasarawa United ground of appeal is that there is no basis (facts or evidence) to support the decision of the Disciplinary Committee, stating that it is clear from all the official match reports and video recording that the match was discontinued because the players of Giwa FC refused to continue playing, in protest against red cards that were duly issued to two of their players for violent conduct.
The referee waited until the expiration of the first half (as provided for in article B13.26) before calling the game off. There is nothing to contradict those facts, which were duly established by the match reports, including the match commissioner’s report, the referee’s report and the delegate’s report.
"It is our prayer that the NFF Appeals Committee should overturn the decision of the NFF Disciplinary Committee and implement the provisions of article B13.26 as being applicable to this case; that is a fine of N3 million on Giwa FC, a deduction of 3 points from Giwa FC and crediting Nasarawa United FC with 3 points and 3 goals."
