NLO Coach Banned Two Years for Attempts to Fix Match

Nigeria’s lower tier National League One (NLO) was in the news for the wrong reason again yesterday following the banning of Coach Remmy Amadi of Cofine FC for two years over allegations of attempts to manipulate a game in the Calabar Zone.

The Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation yesterday found Amadi guilty as charged and has been thrown out of all football related activities in the country for the next two years.

Allegations of attempts to fix Cofine FC of Rivers State v Bussdor FC match played on 15th March, 2021 at University of Calabar Stadium, Cross River State was brought before the NLO secretariat which in turn prompted the setting up of a committee to look into the issue.

In a circular dated March 15, and addressed to the concerned parties, and host FA, the NLO Secretariat acknowledged the receipt of the report and decision of the panel.

The NLO stated that the allegations of match fixing against Coach Remmy Amadi of Cofine FC was ‘very grievous offence,’ which can bring the game into disrepute.

The lower league body therefore invoked the relevant rules of the tournament that provided a two-year ban for such offenders.

The club, Cofine FC, was also not spared as it was slammed with a fine of N500,000 while all results of their matches in the ongoing 2021 NLO season were cancelled.

NLO also warned clubs to desist from desperate moves to qualify for promotion, insisting that it would not tolerate any act of misconduct before, during and after every game.