LMC imposes three-point deduction on Sunshine Stars, wants three referees suspended

The League Management Company (LMC) on Saturday said it has imposed a three-point deduction on Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure.
The league organising body, in a report on its website, said the decision was an unprecedented application of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Framework and Rules.
“In a Summary Jurisdiction notice issued the club Friday night, the LMC reviewed a series of past breaches of the rule by the club.
“These date back to the 2014/2015 season for which varying sanctions, including monetary fines, playing without fans, ban of use of home ground and an order to identify for prosecution supporters cited for acts of breach of security and or interference with match officials.
“These repeated breaches constitute aggravated circumstances which are considered with a view towards imposing more severe sanctions.
“It is noted that in spite of the imposition of a range of corrective sanctions including fines, ‘closed door’ orders and stadium bans, Sunshine Stars have failed to curb these acts of disturbances and contempt for match officials.
“These are all acts capable of bringing the league to disrepute,” the LMC stated in the notice to the club signed by Salihu Abubakar, the LMC Chief Operating Officer (COO).
The LMC also placed on the club a further order to pay N1million to it and N500,000 to the injured match official.
This is in addition to a further order to deduct additional three points from the club’s total for the season in case of a recurrence.
Sunshine Stars were given 48 hours to, in writing, submit to the decision or enter an appeal which if it loses will attract further sanctions.
Also, the LMC has asked the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to withdraw three match officials from further consideration for future NPFL matches for conducts capable of bringing the league to disrepute.
These officials are centre referee David Akure and assistant referees Apine Emmanuel and Lewis Gwantana.
“While these referees posed and widely circulated photographs showing the injury to one of the assistant referees, the incident was not adequately captured in the official match report submitted, which was also submitted late,’’ the LMC said.