Foster Chime, Media Officer of Rangers International FC of Enugu, on Thursday said the sanction imposed on him by the League Management Company was an injustice.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that an LMC statement had on Wednesday accused the Rangers spokesperson of breaching Rule C1 and Clause 1 of the competition’s rules.
The statement said his actions broke the Code of Conduct for club officials because of his comments on match officials after the Match Day 8 fixture between Lobi Stars and Rangers in Makurdi.
The statement reads: “In the first charge, Chime was indicted for making a statement and conducting himself in a manner capable of bringing the Nigeria Professional Football League to disrepute.
“The Rangers spokesman had claimed that the club’s 3-1 loss to Lobi Stars in the fixture was aided by the centre referee and his assistants.
“Chime was also charged with use of inappropriate language and failure to show respect to match officials following his comments that they were unprofessional in their conduct and officiating of the match.
“The LMC rules that he failed to show positive example to players, supporters and others by such comments and fines him N100, 000, though he retains the right to appeal the decision.”
In his defence, Chime told NAN that the sanction was inappropriate, adding that he was only doing his job as a media officer by objecting what he felt was not right.
The statement said: “My own side is simple, but it is one of the injustice people do, you don’t expect us not to complain. We have been crying loud about bad officiating.
“We still have some pockets of bad officiating which is reducing now; there are few ones still being perpetrated by some officials, what we called bias officiating.
“We have been crying loud about it; there are pockets of poor officiating and if we decide to keep quiet, then I see it as deceit.
“There are some incidences which we have cried against injustice, but nothing is being done. And from all indications they (LMC) are not ready to correct it.”
Chime also challenged the sports writers in the country to rise up to the occasion by engaging in constructive criticism of the league to improve the lot of the game.
The statement said: “I have the responsibility not just as a sports journalist, but as a media officer to cry aloud; in our parlance, you cannot beat a child and expect him not to cry.
“The sports writers hold it a duty to report these things so that people will know the true situation of things and not sweep things under the carpet.
“If we sweep issues under the carpet our football will not grow. If the opportunity presents itself again, I will speak my mind, you can’t close my mouth; honesty will come out.
“All what I said was not an inflammatory statement, I only commented on what I observed as it was published by them; I don’t see anything wrong in that.”
Chime said the problem with Nigeria’s football was largely bad officiating that he had spoken against and not an infraction as stated by the LMC.
He said: “This problem started last year in Kastina in the FA Cup final against the same Lobi Stars; you did not expect me not to comment?
“I did not insult anybody; they did not expect me not react to what I felt was not right. I did not insult anybody; I just said it the way it is.
“For talking, this is the type of fine imposed on me? We cannot get anywhere with this type of attitude.
“Recently, we were out of 2017 AFCON and all our representatives in the continental competitions are out except Enyimba.
“When we canvass for good administration, they tend to speak against it.”
Chime challenged the LMC to do the needful by being fair to all parties in the league to ensure the development of the competition in the country.
He said: “Against Wikki Tourists, our camera man was beaten to coma and the LMC fined them but up till today they have not paid a dime. We will not keep quiet about this.
“I have been a Rangers fan since I was a toddler in the 1970’s; Rangers fans cut across Nigeria but poor officiating has continued to be the order of the day.
“If this poor officiating continues, our football will not be developed; Rangers have what it takes now to win the league and not just the league, the FA Cup as well.
“We have qualified for the finals in Enugu and we will follow it up to the national stage where I hope we keep the momentum.”
Chime, however, warned of the dangers inherent in poor officiating which, he claimed, were being beamed live on television.
He said: “We have to be careful because of the volume of poor officiating in our leagues; the broadcast partners DSTV beams our matches live.”
He said Rangers would do well in-spite of challenges, adding: “Although we are facing some financial challenges but we will scale through, God on our side.
“All the funds approved by the state government have yet to be released but aside all these, we will continue to forge ahead.”
NAN.
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