Kano Pillars’ bid to avoid relegation from the Nigeria Professional Football League has been dealt a huge as the Nigerian Football Federation on Saturday turned down the club’s appeal against the three points deduction sanctioned by the federation’s Disciplinary Committee, SUNDAY PUNCH reports.
The verdict sees Pillars drop to 19th in the NPFL log with 42 points, five points from safety with a game (against Shooting Stars in Kano) left to play this season.
The four-time NPFL champions were docked three points by the League Management Company for their unprofessional conduct in a match day 31 fixture against Dakadda at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano where match officials were assaulted and media equipment of the visiting teams destroyed.
The Decision of the Appeals Committee read, “Finding No.5 of the Disciplinary Committee, which was not appealed against by the Appellant, was what the Committee found as the main crux of the disruption of the match by the attack of the Kano Pillars’ former Chairman on Asst. Referee 1, as shown in the pictorial evidence presented before the Committee. In view of the above, the appeal fails.
“On the issue of the destroyed camera, the Committee agrees that the memory card was removed and the pouch of the microphone was destroyed, as such, this constitutes damage to property, therefore, the appeal fails.
“The decision of the Disciplinary Committee is hereby upheld. Consequently, the appeal is hereby dismissed.
“On the League Management Company’s letter dated July 14, 2022, addressed to the General Secretary, Nigeria Football Federation, having found that the letter is contemptuous, League Management Company is hereby barred from sending such letter to the Nigeria Football Federation.
“League Management Company has been cautioned several times, as the letter was trying to sway the decision of the NFF Appeals Committee.”
An appeal against this decision shall only be entertained by the Court of Arbitration for Sports, Lausanne, Switzerland according to Art. 70 of NFF Statutes 2010.
