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Gateway United petition NNL over J. Atete’s alleged use of ‘illegal’ referees

By Editor
29 August 2016   |   1:23 am
Gateway United of Ogun State has petitioned the Nigeria National League (NNL) alleging that J. Atete FC employed the services of unofficially designated referees for in their rescheduled Week 10 ...
Coach Abimbola of Gateway FC

Coach Abimbola of Gateway FC

Gateway United of Ogun State has petitioned the Nigeria National League (NNL) alleging that J. Atete FC employed the services of unofficially designated referees for in their rescheduled Week 10 match played August 17 at Otujeremi, Ughelli, Delta State.

Gateway United in a statement by its Media Officer, Rotimi Oduniyi, alleged that the referees that officiated the tie were illegal, arguing that they were not the officials published on the website of the NNL to handle the match.

According to Oduniyi, “the presence of these unofficially designated referees at the pre-match meeting aroused the curiosity of Gateway officials, who raised the issue with the match commissioner,” but their observation was waived aside.

It said Gateway decided to “go on with the match as a law abiding club that will not want to disrupt any NNL tie under any guise and with clear understanding that it has the right to petition which it has the right to petition which it has now done.”

The club in its petition also complained of inadequate security, intimidation, harassment and physical assault on the media officer of the club, who was allegedly beaten by J. Atete supporters when they attempted to snatch the camera recording the match.

“To make matters worse, a controversial penalty was also awarded to the host team in the 98th minutes that gave J. Atete an undeserved 2-1 victory,” it said.

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