Remo Stars to pay N6m fine for referee assault, get 3-game home ban

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side Remo Stars have been fined a total of six million naira following the assault by their supporters on center referee Bethel Nwanesi.

Remo Stars were held at home to a 1-1 draw by Bendel Insurance in a matchday three encounter played on Sunday, January 20.

Following the conclusion of the game, supporters of the club reportedly assaulted the match official for disallowing a goal in the 88th minute.

The League Management Company (LMC) have come out to issue a sanction on Remo Stars for the incident.

According to a report on the official NPFL website, Remo Stars will pay a total of six million naira in fine and their next three home games will be played in Oshogbo.

The fine is heftier than that of Plateau United who were fined three million for a similar situation.

According to the LMC, Hon. Kunle Soname the Chairman of Remo Stars FC will pay a million Naira for his interview after the encounter.

Bethel Nwanesi denied Remo Stars three points and was brutally beaten

A statement confirming the sanction said, “you are in breach of Appendix E1.1 of the Code of Conduct for Club Officials (Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Professional League Football League), in that on Sunday, 20th January 2019, in the course of the Match Day 3 Fixture: Remo Stars vs. Bendel Insurance, by your conduct and utterances, being an official of a club, you failed to set a positive example for others, particularly players and supporters.”

Asides the fine Soname has been instructed by the LMC not to participate in the next three games of Remo Stars.

A statement confirming this said, “breach of Appendix E1.5 of the Code of Conduct for Club Officials (Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Professional League Football League), in that on Sunday, 20th January 2019, immediately after the Match Day 3 Fixture: Remo Stars vs. Bendel Insurance, you granted a press interview in which you made comments that failed to show due respect to the Match Officials.”

Remo Stars are set to be away from Ijebu for a while

Other sanctions issued were to the Remo Stars Team Manager Yinka Ajayi who has been directed not to be involved in any game for the rest of the season.

Also, Remo Stars were instructed to locate Akintan Yinka and ‘Zico’ who were security personnel deemed responsible for the attack on the referee and should ensure proper safety measures or risk a three-point deduction with a fine if a similar incident should reoccur.

The statement said, “measures are immediately put in place to forestall future similar occurrence (including but not limited to an approved revised security plan, seminar/programme for supporters, issuance of seat-numbered tickets, etc.).”

Remo Stars return to action in matchday four when they travel to face Niger Tornadoes in their next encounter scheduled for Wednesday, January 23.