The Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has fined Gateway United N1m for abandoning their final day match of the Nigeria National League season against ABS.
The committee also ordered a replay of the match behind closed doors, with ABS, who are the hosts, providing adequate security.
Gateway had protested the walkover on October 30 in Ilorin over security problems.
ABS, who are top of Division B2 of the league, needed a win in the match to gain promotion to the Premier League and were awarded three points and three goals after thirty minutes of the match following the refusal of Gateway to play the match.
But in a decision on Thursday, the NFF committee found Gateway guilty following their refusal to play the match and fined the club N1m, which should be paid before November 8, and ordered that the match should be played on November 9.
The committee also reprimanded the Ogun State Commissioner for Sports, Afolabi Afuape.
Afuape was alleged to have instructed Gateway players to leave the stadium, despite arriving at the venue before kick-off.
“For failure to honour the fixture obligation, Gateway FC is in breach of Rule 4.2(1) of the Rules of the NNL; thus, Gateway FC shall pay the stipulated fine of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira only) to the NNL on or before Tuesday, November 8, 2016,” the committee’s decision statement read.
credit: punchng
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