The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have handed out heavy fines, to the tune of N30 million, to alleged particpants in the match-fixing scheme that shocked the Nigeria Premier League last season.
According to a report on Supersport.com, a member of the NFF’s Organising and Disciplinary Committee, Tunde Aderibigbe, confirmed on Wednesday that both the Dolphins and Sunshine Stars were fined for their alleged involvement in the match-fixing episode last season.
The champions, Dolphins were handed a fine of N10 million while last season’s runners-up, Sunshine Stars, were slammed with N20 million for being directly involved in the saga, according to Supersport.com.
The N20 million fine slapped on the Sunshine Stars is said to be the heaviest ever handed out to a Nigerian football club so far.
Other individuals embroiled in the match-fixing saga did not go unpunished either, the report stated, Dolphins’ manager, Stanley Eguma was handed a five-year suspension. An assistant referee as well as a Divine Benjamin were both slammed with five-year bans.
Aderibigbe told SuperSport.com that the ruling was done “within the purview of the 2010 rules and regulation of the National League”.
Allegations of matching fixing had been raised against the Sunshine Stars by Lobi Stars’ vice chairman, Dominic Iorfa who had claimed that refs for the game against his club had come in contact with officials of the Akure Gunners.
The NFF had arranged for a hearing on 21 September 2011, following the accusations, where referee Okoro made startling revelations against Eguma.
However, Aderibigbe said the offenders in the match-fixing allegation have “the rights to appeal the punishment within 48 hours of receiving notification of the ruling.”
