Gateway United Football Club of Ogun State has petitioned the Nigeria National League over the use of unofficially designated referees for its reschedule Week 10 match against J. Atete.
The match was played on August 17 at Otujeremi Football Pitch, Ughelli, Delta State.
According to a statement signed by the Media Officer of the club, Rotimi Oduniyi, the referees that officiated the tie were illegal as they were not the ones published on the website of the NNL to officiate.
According to Oduniyi, the presence of these unofficially designated referees at the pre-match meeting aroused the curiosity of Gateway FC officials who raised the issue with the Match Commissioner.
The Match Commissioner was said to have waived aside their observation.
Gateway FC, according to the Media Officer, decided to go on with the match as a law abiding club that will not want to disrupt any NNL tie under any guise and with clear understanding that it has the right to petition, which it has now utilised.
The Ogun State-owned outfit also in its petition complained of inadequate security, intimidation, harassment and physical assault on the media officer of the club, who was beaten by J. Atete supporters as they attempted to snatch the camera recording of the match; the General Manager, who was stabbed on the head; as well as fans encroachment.
To make matters worse, Oduniyi said, a controversial penalty was also awarded to the host team in the 98th minute, which he reported gave J. Atete an undeserved 2-1 victory.
Gateway United therefore called on the NNL to redress the injustice done to the club in the interest of fair play.
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