NPFL: Aikhoje wants stiffer sanctions against erring clubs
The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Matchroom Consults, Ojeikere Aikhoje has urged the League Management Company to place stiffer sanctions on clubs who breach the rules guiding the league.
Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL side Heartland were fined N1.1m for breaching the league’s dress code in their game against MFM in Lagos in one of the match-day nine matches.
Report says the Owerri-based club’s players appeared with unbranded jerseys which had players’ names written with a pen.
Akwa United were fined an accumulated three Million Naira for failure to ensure adequate security for match officials and misconduct of the Framework and Rules of the NPFL, while their coach Kennedy Boboye was also charged for breaching the code and conduct for coaches.
Aikhoje said “In terms of punishment, I have said several times that whatever the LMC has in their Rule book should be torn, new rules and regulations should be introduced because I believe N1m fine is too small for what Heartland did. They brought the league to disrepute and imagine the degree of damage internationally, because those pictures are online and it means it can be seen everywhere in the world.
“The fines should be increased because I won’t call what we have now fines. In this clime, our clubs don’t have a brand manager and at this stage, LMC must begin to advocate for things like that. Also, the match commissioner for that day should be sanctioned because he didn’t do his job properly. Heartland shouldn’t have entered the pitch with that jersey.
On clubs who owe their players, Aikhoje added, “When you bring in a foreign player, you can’t owe that player because if you do he goes to FIFA and they will respond to that immediately and give appropriate punishment.
“LMC must ensure heavier punishment and it goes back to the rule book. That is why I said we need to tear the rule book and get a stronger one. LMC must introduce points deduction and not suspension, which we have in the book. When a club get points deduction in some games, they know the next thing is relegation and Nigerian clubs are scared of relegation. Our laws are not strong because what we have in the books is not strict punishment and we need that because if we don’t do that it is going to be difficult.”
NP/Confidence Okwuchi
