FCIU vs MFM: MFM hopeful on good judgement

Lagos based Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side MFM FC are hopeful of a favourable judgement when the Disciplinary Committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) sit on Thursday, June 17, in Abuja over their contentious clash with FC Ifeanyiubah (FCIU).

FC Ifeanyi Ubah were banished to Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, Enugu State indefinitely in the NPFL by the League Management Company (LMC) as punishment for a reported harassment of match officials during their Matchday 15 fixture against Rivers United at the Ifeanyi Ubah International Stadium, Nnewi.

The Nnewi-based team were subsequently expected to play their home games in Enugu until the league body pardons them and they honoured the first game against Jigawa Golden Stars but failed to show up for the second against MFM FC, thus forfeiring three points, three goals to the Church team after they were walked-over by the match officials who were present in Enugu.

The result had since been effected and reflected on the current league table of the 2020/2021 NPFL season.

In a new twist however, NFF Emergency Committee after their meeting on Monday, June 14 constituted a panel to look into various disciplinary issues in the leagues including the FC Ifeanyi Ubah and MFM FC matter.

With the Committee set to meet and give a ruling, MFM’s Director of Football, Davidson Adejuwon has expressed confidence in the Disciplinary Committee to uphold its statutes in the interest of the game.

In a chat with www.aclsports.com on Wednesday at the Soccer Temple, Agege Stadium, Adeduwon says he expects the Committee to uphold MFM’s result.

“I doubt it if their (FCIU) appeal will be able to succeed because the rule says that if you do not have a convincing reason not to honour your match, you will forfeit your points.

“It’s only when there are genuine cases where people can see, that they may want to consider you a rescheduled match where you will pay penalties to cover the expenses of the other team, but in this case there is nothing FC Ifeanyiubah would tell that is justifiable.

“To that extent, I expect that the NFF disciplinary committee will look into to the fact, look into the rules and the evidence at hand and I don’t think they will do otherwise from what LMC has done,” said Adeduwon.

MFM FC are currently 11th on the league log with 36 points, eleven points clear of Ifeanyiubah in 18th spot. Adeduwon also used the medium to give more explanation into FCIIU’s offence which made them lose the points to his side.

“It’s important to let everybody know the true state of things.

“They (FCIU) did not show up on their own volition, not because they are not well informed and they have forfeited their points based on the rules, and I think that is the best LMC should do and I commend them for that,” he said.

There are eleven more matches left in the 2020/2021 NPFL season and the bottom four teams will be relegated to the second division at the end of the season.