Kwara United Reject NFF Appeal Committee’s Decision On Rivers United Vs Jigawa Golden Stars, Heads To CAS
Controversies trailing the just concluded 2020/2021 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL got a new twist on Tuesday after Kwara United declared it would take the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS following its Appeals Committee’s ruling on the use of ineligible player by Jigawa Golden Stars in their Matchday 34 clash with Rivers United on July 21, www.besycjoicesports.com.ng can report.
Kwara United Football Club in a release Tuesday nigth expressed dissatisfaction over the ruling and vow it’s Challenging the judgement in CAS.
The Illorin based outfit had ended the season with 65 points and plus 20 goals difference, which guarantees it a third place finish on the final NPFL table.
But the decision of the Disciplinary Committee of the NFF had awarded three points and three goals against Jigawa Golden Stars in favour of sixth placed Rivers United, and that decision ensured they ended above both Kwara United FC and Enyimba FC, to land in second place.
Jigawa Golden Stars had fielded an ineligible player who had accumulation of five yellow cards in their match against Rivers United FC in their adopted home in Kaduna, with the League Management Company (LMC) admitting not sending suspension notifications to Jigawa Golden Stars in respect of the concerned player.
In it’s ruling today, the Appeal Committee upheld the decision of the Disciplinary Committee, a decision that finally sealed the positions of the top three teams on the table of the 2020/2021 NPFL season, placing Kwara United FC in fourth position
But in a release by Kwara United FC, the club expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling of the Appeal Committee, and also questioned the one-sided attendance of the Committee, as well as the headship of the Appeal Committee.
According to the Chairman of Kwara United FC, Kumbi Titiloye, the Chairman of appeals Committee, Barrister Eddy Mark is an employee of Rivers State government, and would not be seen to have decided otherwise.
He also added that the Appeals Committee is not duly constituted because, since the new board of NFF was inaugurated, the Appeals Committee is not legal.
“Kwara United FC rejects this decision in its entirety and will put NFF on notice immediately before proceeding to Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS)”, he concluded.