Club owner gets 10 match ban for slapping goalkeeper

Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, the proprietor of FC Ifeanyi Ubah has been banned from Nigerian Professional Football League, NPFL match venues for ten matches.

Ubah who according to video evidence slapped Heartland FC goalkeeper, Ebele Obi was also ordered to pay a fine of N2.5m.

The League Management Company, LMC in a statement signed by its Head of Special Projects, Harry Iwuala demanded a letter of apology from Ubah in addition to a letter of undertaking to be a good ambassador of Nigerian football.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that the LMC arrived at the decision following its review of video evidence of the incident which occurred immediately after the Match Day 8 fixture at Nnewi between FC IfeanyiUbah and Heartland Football Club of Owerri.

“LMC is now issuing fresh charges against Ubah and is now handing him a fine of N2.5 million, in addition to a 10-match ban from all NPFL venues in a Summary Jurisdiction notice issued Thursday afternoon.

“Relying on the Match Commissioner’s report which did not capture the incident, the LMC had earlier charged Ubah for encroachment on the field of play only.

“But, having received additional evidence that supported a case of assault on goalkeeper Ebele Obi, fresh charges have been drafted.

“Ubah was charged for breach of Rule C1 of the NPFL Rules and Framework for an offence of misconduct, in that immediately after the match he encroached on the field of play and assaulted Obi while his personal security aides further assaulted the player.

“For this, the LMC ruled in an exercise of summary jurisdiction to suspend Ubah from all NPFL match venues for the next 10 matches,’’ the statement said.

NAN also reports that the last four of the 10-match ban have been suspended for a probationary period expiring at the end of the 2015/16 season.