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Tag League Management Company (LMC)

  • Mar, Fri, 2020
Sport

Medical facilities: Plateau United, state FA, others meet over NFF, LMC directive

Meeting

By Polycarp Auta

Jos, March 13, 2020 (NAN) The management of Plateau United Football Club of Jos, the Plateau State Football Association (PFA) leadership and other stakeholders on Friday in Jos held a crucial meeting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that they all met over the directive by both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the League Management Company (LMC) on medical facilities.

NAN reports that NFF and LMC had directed that henceforth no Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match should be played without the full presence of medical personnel and availability of facilities.

The directive was in the wake of the demise of Chineme Martins, the 23-year-old defender of Nasarawa United FC of Lafia, who slumped and died during their week 23 fixture.

The club’s match was played at home at the Lafia Township Stadium on Sunday and against Katsina United, with the hosts winning 3-0.

Speaking at the meeting, which was at the instance of the home FA, PFA chairman, Sunday Longbap, said the meeting was aimed at ensuring compliance with the directive.

He said this was necessary as compliance must be immediate, in view of this Sunday’s NPFL encounter between hosts Plateau United FC of Jos and visiting Nasarawa United.

NAN reports that the week 24 match will be played at the New Jos Stadium.

Represented by the association’s Secretary, Sunday Adi, Longbap said the meeting was called to enable stakeholders rub minds.

“It will also help us to fashion out ways to provide the required health facilities before Sunday’s match,’’ he said.

Speaking at the meeting, the Plateau State Red Cross Branch’s Training Officer, Nurudeen  Magaji, said they have a vehicle fully-kitted with life-support equipment to take care of any emergency during matches

Magaji explained that, in view of the latest development, the Red Cross in the state would conduct refresher training for the Plateau United FC medical team.

“This is in order to deal with issues that have to do with first aid during matches.’’

He assured that his organisation, which has always been at the stadium during Plateau United’s home matches, would continue to ensure strict compliance with the directive in order to avoid issues.

On his part, the Secretary of Plateau United FC, Audu Yusuf, assured that every requirement as directed by the NFF and LMC would be made available.

“We must do this, so as to ensure a hitch-free match come Sunday,’’ Yusuf, who led a four-man delegation of his club to the meeting, said.(NAN)

AZA/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

  • Feb, Thu, 2020
Sport

LMC bans Heartland FC from signing new players, orders payment of N13.5m

Ban
By Olanrewaju Akojede
Lagos, Feb. 20, 2020 (NAN) The League Management Company (LMC) on Thursday said it has banned Heartland Football Club of Owerri from signing new players for the next two registration periods.

It said in a statement by Harry Iwuala, its Head of Special Projects, that the ban would be in place until the club complied with its ruling on separate complaints against it.

Two former players of the club, Maduabuchi Okereke and Fatunwase Alfred Olusegun, had laid complaints of unlawful termination of contract and indebtedness.

Maduabuchi and Fatunwase had in separate petitions to the LMC dated Nov. 5, 2019 claimed overdue payables, wrongful termination of contract and compensation.

While Maduabuchi laid claims for a total of N10.4 million, Fatunwase asked for a total of N6,25 million.

In its ruling communicated to Heartland FC on Monday, the LMC noted that the club failed to respond to the claims of the players.

“This was in spite of having been invited by the LMC to state its case through a letter dated Jan. 28, 2020.’’

The LMC, who are the organisers of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), said the players and the club did execute separate employment contracts (in the form of the NPFL Standard Player Contract).

“The duration of this was Nov. 10, 2018 to Nov. 9, 2021.’’

The league organisers said they rejected a letter of clearance purportedly issued the players by Heartland FC on Aug. 28, 2019 and which was simply addressed “To whom it may concern”.

“The clearance letter purported that it was issued at the request of the players following which they were released with no further financial obligations from the club towards them.’’

In rejecting the clearance letter issued the players, the LMC stated that a “contract or agreement’’ must be signed or executed by each party to the said agreement.

“The fact that the clearance letter was signed only by the club through its General Manager indicates that it cannot be deemed to be an agreement that binds the player”.

It further found that the players sent separate default notices to the club on Sept. 30, 2019, giving a deadline of 14 days for payment of the claims.

The LMC then ruled that the improper release or clearance letter issued by the Club strengthened the players’ claims of wrongful termination.

It went on to say that “as a result of the failure of the club to respond to the allegations, we are constrained to determine the case on the strength of the available evidence”.

Heartland FC was then ordered to pay Maduabuchi N7.2 million, representing the remaining two years of his three-year contract.

It is to also pay N900,000, being unpaid arrears of three months consolidated salary stipulated in the contract before it was wrongfully terminated by the club.

“Fatunwase was awarded N4.8 million, representing the remaining two years of his three-year contract, and N600,000 also, being unpaid arrears of three months consolidated salary as stipulated in the contract before it was wrongfully terminated by the club.’’

Iwuala said the ruling sent to Heartland FC and the petitioners further stated thus: “Consequently, pursuant to Rule B9.45.4, the club is banned from registering any new players in the next two entire and consecutive registration periods.’’

It however noted that this was provided that the ban would be lifted immediately upon confirmation that the payables overdue towards the players were paid.

“If at the end of the period of the ban, the sums mentioned in 19a and 19b above are not paid, the matter shall be duly reviewed,” the LMC warned.(NAN)
KOJE/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)