Kano Pillars Football Club has submitted an official appeal in response to the N12 million fine imposed by the Nigeria Professional Football League Disciplinary Committee for alleged misconduct.
The appeal, conveyed in a statement by the club’s secretary, Sani Ibrahim, on Tuesday in Kano, emphasizes the need to reassess the penalty in light of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The incident occurred during Kano Pillars’ Week 17 match against Plateau United at Sani Abacha Stadium when a group of thugs disrupted the live broadcast and threw objects onto the pitch to protest a match official’s decision.
In the official statement, Ibrahim stated, “As we condemned the act in totality, we enjoin the committee to be calm and, above all, composed in treating such an intricate issue in view of its role as an impartial umpire.”
“As it is a known fact that human beings are mistakes, hence the need to look upward and downward over the matter with a view to temper justice with mercy.
“Unequivocally, the club supporters, due to the utmost enlightenment courtesy of the fans, have been inculcating the spirit of sportsmanship during their matches, as has been the case in other parts of the world, wondering how some bad eggs would try to cause trouble.
“The trouble seriously affects the team’s good run in the ongoing league. To say the fact, Sani Abacha Stadium has been one of the most famous edifices in the country, but how can one cause anything capable of sanctioning the club?” the club said.
The appeal concludes with a plea for forgiveness, expressing remorse over the actions of a few individuals who posed as supporters to perpetrate the disruptive act.
