NPFL: Kano Pillars relegated after losing appeal

Kano Pillars’ frantic effort to escape being relegated from the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL has suffered a terminal blow.

This follows the decision by the Appeals Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to turn down the club’s appeal against the three points deduction earlier sanctioned by the Federation’s Disciplinary Committee.

With 45 points going into their last match of the season against Shooting Stars, Pillars already had the herculean task of beating the Oluyole Warriors by at least a three-goal margin to save their Premier League status.

However, with the deduction of the three points, Pillars are left with 42 points which all but confirms their relegation to the Nigeria National League (NNL).

Pillars will have themselves to blame for their avoidable predicament as the latest points deduction means they lost six points this season to violent conduct either by their fans or officials.

The Decision of the Appeals Committee read: “Finding No.5 of the Disciplinary Committee, which was not appealed against by the Appellant, was what the Committee found as the main crux of the disruption of the match by the attack of the Kano Pillars’ former Chairman on Asst. Referee 1, as shown in the pictorial evidence presented before the Committee. In view of the above, the appeal fails.

“On the issue of the destroyed camera, the Committee agrees that the memory card was removed and the pouch of the microphone was destroyed, as such, this constitutes damage to property, therefore, the appeal fails.

“The decision of the Disciplinary Committee is hereby upheld. Consequently, the appeal is hereby dismissed.

“On the League Management Company’s letter dated 14th July 2022, addressed to the General Secretary, Nigeria Football Federation, having found that the letter is contemptuous, League Management Company is hereby barred from sending such letter to the Nigeria Football Federation.

“League Management Company has been cautioned several times, as the letter was trying to sway the decision of the NFF Appeals Committee.”

An appeal against this decision shall only be entertained by the Court of Arbitration for Sports, Lausanne, Switzerland according to Art. 70 of NFF Statutes 2010.