The League Management Company (LMC) on Monday said it has asked Dolphins Football Club of Port Harcourt to settle its indebtedness to its player or face sanctions.
In a statement, the league organisers said the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club has 60 days to comply or it would lose six points and face further sanctions.
“Following a conclusive investigation of the very first formal complaint by a player on breach of contractual agreement by his club, the LMC is invoking extant provisions of the NPFL Rules and Frameworks 2014/2015 season,’’ Salihu Abubakar, company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), said in the statement.
It said Emeka Atuloma had filed a complaint dated May 25 against the club, citing non-payment of his salary since the commencement of the 2014/15 season.
The season had commenced on March 8.
“The LMC has, therefore, charged Dolphins FC with breach of contract, with not only the complainant player, but with all its players following the club’s own admission vide a letter dated June 12.
“In the letter, the club had said none of its players had received his salaries during the period which has exceeded the 60 days cap,’’ the statement said.
It added that the LMC had in a letter dated June 19 notified the club management of the fact that they are in breach of Article B9.45.
“This they must remedy within 60 days or be liable to the deduction of six points in line with the provisions of the NPFL Rules and Framework for 2014/15 season.
“They will lose a further three points for every 30 days the breach was not remedied after the expiration of the 60-day notice of default period.
The notification letter to Dolphins and signed by the LMC COO had drawn the club’s attention to Article B9. 45.
“The terms of a contract between a club and a player shall be strictly adhered to and where a club fails to pay remunerations and entitlements due to a player for a period of more than 60 days such club shall be liable to a deduction of six points and a further deduction of three points every 30 days for which the entitlement remains unpaid”.
The LMC has now directed Dolphins to comply with the cited provision within 60 days and pay all its players.
It said any failure to do this would force the league board to exercise its summary jurisdiction to deduct six points from the club’s total accrued points so far this season.
“You are therefore required, to within 60 days from the date of this notice to remedy the breach.
“Otherwise, the League Board intends to exercise its summary jurisdiction and to impose on you an initial deduction of six points and a further deduction of three points for every further 30 days for which the entitlement remains unpaid”.
The LMC noted that this decision against Dolphins have become absolutely necessary.
“This is for the dual reason that the club has not provided any satisfactory plan of paying the due amounts anytime soon and had also failed to provide the mandatory Financial Performance Guarantee as required by the Rules and Framework.
“The purpose of the Financial Guarantee has been to safeguard the financial interest of players against insolvency in clubs as the amount owed players would have been drawn from the guarantee in proven cases of default such as we have with Dolphins,’’ it said.
The LMC further said the strict enforcement of the regulation would spread to other NPFL participating clubs which awere not meeting obligations to their players and other employees.
It said this would be whenever a formal complaint has been filed, investigated and proven.
The LMC, therefore, urged owner-state governments of clubs to work towards the transfer of club ownership to the fans through the Community Ownership model.
“This has gained currency in some European countries. They can also source other alternative revenue streams for the club.’’
The LMC also advocated that in the interim, respective owner-state governments may transfer the club administration to the Governor’s Office for ease of regular payment of players’ entitlements.
“We believe that clubs will be better off having their charges under the Office of the Governor which has been found to have worked for some of the successful Governors.
“This will reduce, if not eliminate, the hindrances in payment of players’ salaries and dues since the players are paid once the Government House workers are paid,’’ the statement said.
