Admin I Monday, July 07, 2025
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has upheld the N500,000 fine imposed by the Nationwide League One, NLO on Cynosure FC but set aside the suspension of Cynosure FC Chairman for six months.
In a statement, the NFF said Committee found out that the petition of match fixing by Cynosure FC to NLO against Liberty Lions FC was frivolous as Cynosure FC Chairman could not substantiate his claims.
The Committee views the punishment of suspending the Chairman, Cynosure FC for Six months and the Fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) as being excessive.
FINDINGS:
1. The Committee found out that the match between Liberty Lions FC v. E-World FC was rescheduled from 4:00pm to 8: 00am at the request of the Chairman of Cynosure FC to ensure that the last group matches in Calabar were played simultaneously.
2. That due to the change in timing of the match, Liberty Lions FC played the first Fifteen (15) minutes of the match against E-World FC with seven (7) players as against the normal eleven (11) players.
3. That Cynosure FC played at the same time of 8:00am with May and Frank FC in another Centre.
4. That Cynosure FC alleged that Liberty Lions FC were involved in match fixing of their match with E-World FC.
5. That the NLO invited all parties for their Disciplinary Committee hearing, at which Cynosure FC was unable to prove the case of match fixing against Liberty Lions FC.
6. The Committee found out that the petition by Cynosure FC to NLO against Liberty Lions FC was frivolous as Cynosure FC Chairman could not substantiate his claims. However, the Committee views the punishment of suspending the Chairman, Cynosure FC for Six months and the Fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) as being excessive.
DECISIONS:
Based on the above findings, the Committee decides as follows:
1. That the fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) imposed on Cynosure FC by the NLO is hereby upheld.
2. The suspension of the Chairman of Cynosure FC for six (6) months is hereby set aside.
3. That the above decisions are without prejudice to the right of appeal.
In attendance: Barr. Abdulrahman I. Abdulrahman (Vice Chairman), Barr. Ibrahim Mukhtar (Member), Barr. Wole Ademoyegun (Member), Barr. Bello Galadi (Member) and Queen W. Otarakpo, Esq. (Secretary)
