The League Management Company (LMC) has lifted the 12-match ban imposed on Kano Pillars captain, Rabiu Ali, reports Completesports.com.
Ali was banned following his unruly conduct at the end of Nigeria Professional Football League Super Six match between Kano Pillars and Rangers at the Agege Stadium last season.
Kano Pillars were also fined N8m (eight million naira) for same incident.
“Following apology letters from Rabiu Ali of Kano Pillars, his 12-match ban has come under review considering the community service he rendered as directed by the LMC,” reads a statement by the LMC on Monday.
“After considering Rabiu Ali’s past record in the league, the remaining period of his ban is hereby commuted to a suspended sentence with effect from Matchday 6.
“Rabiu Ali is however required, as part of the commutation of his ban, to contribute to community engagement & development including visiting schools to promote good virtues associated with football.”
Ali is now available for Pillars’ Sunday’s away clash against league leaders Plateau United at the New Jos Stadium.
By Adeboye Amosu
6 Comments
This act has just removed the deterrent for club officials, players and fans attacking match officials.
In a week where Nassarawa plays and officials were banned for attaching a match referee this seems out the wrong signal and will see am upsurge in violence at football matches up and down the country.
This is just saying, do what you like and there are no consequences
Na mallam dey rule now. They can do whatever dey want.
If u no likam enter laggon.
I don’t think the LMC has any real vision for the comatose Nigerian league. So Rabiu Ali that slapped and publicly assaulted and humiliated a ref (thereby ncouraging Kano Pillars fans to troop into the field and attack officials) is now free to play again less than a month after the incident!? WONDERFULLY WONDERFUL WONDERMENT!!
He must be laughing and saying ntoor now to the ref whose humiliation is not 100% complete. I’m not sure Rabiu even paid any heavy fine. Suddenly, a one year ban has been incredibly reversed to a 2-week ban after a supposed apology letter (that we can’t assess) and a photo-op with some almajiris. And Pinnick wants Rohr to take Nigerian league players seriously.
Which ref now will be bold to allow an away team win, even if the team deserves it? I feel ashamed watching the SA PSL – not to talk of the EPL, La Liga, Seria A. I mean, we’re after all on the same continent with SA, but the league gap continues to widen – thanks to the contract with & exposure by Supersport plus a rich vision being systematically executed by the league management there. Even the Zambian League is growing fast, while it’s retrogression time in Nigeria that used to have the formidable names like Ranchers Bees, Abiola Babes, BBC Lions, Bendel Insurance, Shooting Stars, Julius Berger, El Kanemi Warriors, Calabar Rovers etc.
The managers of the EPL are not aliens, neither the PSL managers. Nigeria has the population and economy in Africa. If SA can do it, so also can we IF WE HAVE TRULY VISIONARY PEOPLE AT THE HELMS. They need to make the private sector believe in the league. That has not happened for at least the past 10 years.
Thanks for your insights Kel. Indeed, letting Rabiu Alli off the hook so lightly sends a wrong signal to players in the league that such a conduct can be condoned.
Well this is Nigeria.
One day, we will hopefully regulate every facet of our society similar to how it is done in other places so that there is accountability to our actions: whether we are politicians in a shop or footballers on the pitch!
The referee’s Association should go on indefinite strike.
Kano pillars should be banished to Bauchi.
The Ali of an animal should be banned for atleast two year.
Pinic should be querried and investigated for possible bribery from Ganduje
This sounds more like the a primitive rule and tells how much we are backwards or i will rather use the word misled by unqualified leaders.