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Rescheduled Week 33 Tie: FC Ifeanyi Ubah task LMC on rules, fairness

FC Ifeanyi Ubah on Thursday condemned the decision of the League Management Company (LMC) that ordered a replay of the Week 33 of the 2014/2015 Globacom Premier League match.
Ubah

Ubah

FC Ifeanyi Ubah on Thursday condemned the decision of the League Management Company (LMC) that ordered a replay of the Week 33 of the 2014/2015 Globacom Premier League match.

The Chairman of the club, Chuma Ubah, described the decision as unfortunate.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka that the club should have been awarded the three points and three goals due to walkover of their opponent.

Ubah said that this was the rule in football globally unless the affected club gave prior notice of their inability not to hounour any match.

The chairman expressed surprised about the decision of LMC to rescheduled the match.

He said that though the club was comfortable on the league table, “our concerned is that such inconsistencies could demean the great job the LMC is doing in the development of the league.

“This is not the best of time in the development of our league.

“The LMC has been doing a great job but we still cannot see why they should bend the rule on walkover because we are involved.

“One hour to the game we were still waiting for Elkanemi, nobody was talking to us and later that evening the LMC officially tweeted that it was a walkover.

“The media was awash with the news only for us to see a reversal later, they should know that the world is watching,’’ he said.

A sports administrator in the state, Victor Nwangu, said that there was no reason why the LMC should bend the rule in favour of El-Kanemi Warriors.

Nwangu said that walkover was still an extant rule in football administration in Nigeria which might not be invoked in the case of force-majure.

“I am still surprised, I don’t know if the rule they are applying is new in football.

“Walkover is provided for unless in the case of force-majure which include armed robbery attack, disaster, social disturbance and others.

“It does not include players’ strike and other internal crisis in the clubs.

“The threat of embarking on strike by the players has been there; even the LMC had warned them of the consequences.

“But it is surprising that LMC has refused to implement the rule known to all.

“I want the LMC to be categorical about this and take a firm stand that will be precedence,’’ he said.

On his part, Arthur Ebunam, a former footballer, said the LMC’s decision might be in order, noting that a breakdown in communication might be responsible for the misunderstanding.

He, however, called for caution and expressed confidence in the ability of LMC to take informed decision at all times in the best interest of football in Nigeria.

NAN reports that El-Kanemi failed to honour the encounter at Nnewi against Ifeanyi Ubah due to players embarking on strike for non-payment of their salaries and allowances.

The LMC had said that the players’ strike was illegal and ruled that the match be played on Oct. 28, with cost borne by El-kanemi.

“It is our ruling that El-Kanemi will bear the cost of organising the botched match as well as pay compensation to the host club for loss of revenue.

“They will pay N2 million as cost of organising the botched match and N240, 000 as compensation to FC Ifeanyi Ubah for loss of revenue,’’ the LMC said in a statement.

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