Go Round FC fined for forcing referee to manufacture penalty

Last updated: 2021/07/31 at 6:30 PM

starconnect Published 31 July 2021

Go Round FC

Admin l Saturday, July 31, 2021

PORT HARCOURT, Rivers, Nigeria – The Disciplinary Committee of the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF has fined Go Round FC for forcing a referee to manufacture penalty in a League encounter between the club and Shooting Stars FC(3SC) on 5th July, 2021 at Krisdera Stadium, Omoku, Rivers State.

According to official match report of the Referee and Match Commissioner, control services were poor and that the match security was compromised.

“There was also no observance of COVID-19 protocol, with the presence of home supporters, who were described as being unruly. The Referee also stated that he was threatened by the General Manager of the home team, Dr. Soni Uboh and forced to prolong the match beyond the 5 minutes of added time and to “manufacture” a penalty for the home team, which he did under duress in order to protect the lives and safety of the match officials.

“He stated that an additional added time of seven minutes was given, during which period home team was awarded the penalty from which they scored. The Referee further stated that this was done under duress, granting the request to award the home team a penalty in order for them to leave the stadium alive but to the best of their knowledge the match had ended at 1-1”.

Soni Uboh denied the allegations. However, the NNL imposed a fine of N1.8 million on Go Round FC as follows: NNL imposed a fine of NGN500,000 for requesting a hearing after maintaining the final scores at 1 – 1; 1,000,000 for the act of encroachment by its supporter in breach of 16.1 of the NNL Rules and NGN300,000 for breach of the COVID-19 Protocol.

In attendance: Musa Amadu, Esq. (Chairman), Damon N. Dashe, Esq (Member), Chike Onyeacho, Esq. (Member), Adamu Sani Osmond, Esq. (Member), Kelvin Omuojine, Esq. (Member), Queen W. Otarakpo, Esq.(Secretary). Vice-Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Professor Olufemi Adegbesan recused himself from the case due to affiliation with one of the parties – Shooting Stars Sports Club.