Nigerian League: LMC rejects Dolphins plea on rescheduled match

The LMC insists rescheduled fixture holds June 14.

The League Management Company, LMC, has ruled that the rescheduled fixtures between Kano Pillars and Dolphins FC and that between El-Kanemi Warriors and Rangers International will be played as scheduled warning that any team that fails to honour their match will lose the three points and three goals as well as other additional sanctions provided in the rules.

Salihu Abubakar, the Chief Operating Officer, COO, of the LMC in a letter to Dolphins FC and Rangers International, conveyed the decision of the LMC Board to refund costs incurred by both clubs in the course of their trip to Kano for the Match Day 19 matches that couldn’t hold as a result of the situation in Kano following the death of the Emir of Kano.

Abubakar dismissed excuses offered by Dolphins FC in a letter to the LMC, some of which cited a purported FIFA Rule and said the excuses were not known to LMC, NFF and FIFA Regulations.

He warned Dolphins to desist from any act that will undermine the league including issuing public statements on matters already receiving attention.

“…all the excuses offered for a possible postponement of the match now scheduled for Saturday, June 14 are not supported by known facts both in the Nigeria Professional Football League rules and FIFA Regulations alluded to in your letter.

“You may wish to read Article 13.8 of the Rules and Framework for the 2013/14 League season again to acquaint yourself with the provision that empowers the LMC to change the date of league fixtures at any time.

“…We seize this opportunity to caution officials of your Club who resort to making public statements on communications between the Clubs and the LMC especially when such matters are receiving attention from both sides. Further issuance of such public statements will lead to serious sanctions on the club and the officer”, the League COO warned.

Further dismissing claims by Dolphins on sundry grounds such as hectic travel schedule, unavailability of coaches and players, the League COO chided them for not working in tandem with the Registration requirements of the 2013/14 league season.
“The League has this season run fixtures that held three days apart and Dolphins duly participated and honoured all such fixtures. It is therefore begging the point to count distance covered for a match that you have clear seven days to honour.

“Dolphins are one of the 20 Clubs that were required by regulation to provide Financial Guarantee, a requirement that would have put the club in a position to have all the money required to fund its activities throughout the season”, Abubakar wrote and challenged officials of Dolphins to provide the portion of the FIFA regulation that barred league matches during the World Cup period”.

“It will be interesting to know from Dolphins which section of the FIFA rule says league matches cannot hold during the World Cup. We know for sure that the FIFA directive is that players involved in the 2014 World Cup are to be excluded from Club duties during the period of the World Cup. Dolphins reserve the right to ask its coaching crew to alter their travel plans so as to perform their primary assignments”.