The Interim Management Committee (IMC) has slammed Wikki Tourists with points and goals deduction after the club fans assaulted match officials during a game against Bayelsa United.
According to a statement on Tuesday by the committee, all four match officials were assaulted during the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) game at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, on Sunday.
Three points and three goals would also be docked from the cumulative Tourists’ performance this season as punishment.
The club was also fined N2,500,000 for failing to “provide adequate security for the match officials before, during, and after the match which resulted in the assault of the match officials”.
One million naira from the fine would be a compensatory payment to the four assaulted match officials at N250,000 for each.
The remaining home games of the club in the 2022/23 NPFL season would be played behind closed doors.
“In a Summary Jurisdiction Notice signed by Davidson Owumi the Head of Operations of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) the club faced a monetary fine totalling N2.5m, three points and three goals deduction and closure of their home stadium to fans for the rest of the season,” the statement reads.
“This followed a review of the findings of the official reports for the MatchDay 13 fixture between Wikki Tourists and Bayelsa United on April 9, 2023.
“Wikki Tourists was found in breach of Rule B8.21, Rule C11, B13.52 and B13.18 of the NPFL Framework and Rules.
“For breach of Rule B8.21, the club was fined N1 million for failing to provide adequate security for the match officials before, during, and after the match which resulted in the assault of the match officials.
“In a second charge for breach of Rule C11, Wikki Tourists was ordered to be deducted three points and three goals for assault on Match Officials by the fans.
“In the third finding for breach of Rule B13.18, the club was fined N500,000 for failure to provide adequate security and implement effective crowd control resulting in the fans throwing objects onto the field of play, targeting Match Officials and disrupting play.
“Wikki was also ordered to make a compensatory payment totalling N1m to the four Match Officials at N250,000 for each.”
Tourists are currently ninth in Group B of the NFFL abridged league with 12 points from 13 games. The points deduction would see the team drop to the base of the group.
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