LMC Fines 3SC N3m, Awards N500,000 To Assaulted Journalist
A Local club in Nigeria popularly known as Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan was fined N3 million by the League Management Company (LMC) on Friday for fans’ assault on sports journalist Tobi Adepoju. It also demanded that the club compensate him with N500,000.
Following the team’s 1-1 tie with Remo Stars in a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match on Wednesday, Tobi was attacked at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan. To save him from the enraged supporters, police had to interfere in the conflict.
The LMC expressed its displeasure with the attack, calling it “capable of bringing the game into shame.”
The Club has been fined a total of N3m plus a N500,000 compensation to Mr. Adepoju for lost valuables and medical bills and their stadium has been closed to fans for the remaining fixtures of the season while a further breach will lead to their being directed to play outside the Southwest,” the LMC added in a statement on its Facebook page, saying 3SC breached Rule B13.52 and Rule B8.21 and Rule C1.1 of the LMC Rule Book.
“3SC also stands the risk of two points deduction to last for a probational period ending with the season while the Media Officer, Tosin Omojola, and Kits Manager, Mr. Majolagbe Kolawale have been expelled from all NPFL related activities for a minimum period of 12 months in the first instance.”
Unfortunate Attack
The club had already apologized to Tobi for the incident and promised to investigate the attack.
They also criticised a statement attributed to the team’s Media Officer, Tosin Omojola, in which he apparently stated that the act will have no repercussions.
“The Management of the Club wish to state that the utterances he was reported to have made were his personal opinion and do not represent the position of the Club in regards to the incident of Wednesday, June 1, 2022, after the match involving 3SC and Remo Stars,” 3SC said in the statement signed by their Executive Chairman Babatunde Olaniyan
“The Club would not support any utterance, comment, or opinion that tends to promote violence or put the lives of others in danger. The Club regrets the unfortunate attack on Mr Tobi Adepoju and condemns it in its entirety.”
