Giwa FC Appeals Expulsion from NPFL

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Embattled Jos-based Giwa FC monday made a formal request to have its ejection from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) re-examined.

The League Management Company, (LMC) confirmed in a statement yesterday that Giwa FC has appealed its ruling of last Friday which threw out the team from the NPFL after missing three cumulative games of the ongoing season.

Giwa is asking for its appeal case to be handled by a commission for fairness.

“The above subject matter refers. We are in receipt of your letter of 20th May, 2016 on the above subject matter. We hereby notify you that we do not accept any of the sanctions imposed on our club and further add that we elect to be dealt with by a commission,” Giwa FC wrote in a letter dated May 21, 2016 to the league organisers.

While the appeal matter is pending, the LMC has already effected the cancellation of all matches played by Giwa FC this season from its official website. The Jos club is now 20th on the log after expunging all results it chalked up in the 2015/2016 from the official teams standings.

Giwa FC was thrown out of the country’s top division for missing three cumulative matches which flouts Rule B13.28 of the NPFL Framework and Rules for the season.

The rule states: “If a club fails to honour three matches cumulatively within the league season without an acceptable reason to the LMC such a club shall be expelled from the league and its matches played and unplayed shall be cancelled.”

No date has been announced to hear the appeal of Giwa FC though the LMC stated that the club “will now appear before the relevant authority in the coming days to hear their appeal.”