National Association of Nigerian Professional Footballers (NANPF) has commended the League Management Company (LMC) for prohibiting Sunshine Stars from fielding new players in accordance with the Club Licensing rules on indebtedness to players to by clubs.
Sunshine Stars were not allowed to field their newly acquired players in the Matchday 7 of the 2017/18 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) against Plateau United in Jos for failure of the Akure-based team to clear all due payables.
NANPF described the decision as one that will not only compel the affected team to henceforth strive to meet obligations to players but also serve as a deterrent to other clubs that have failed to make due payments to their players.
Furthermore, the players union also urged the LMC to enforce the rule on other football clubs that are found to be in violation of the rule.
In a statement, NANPF said, “clubs’ power brokers in the system should stop putting pressure on the League Management Company not to enforce the rules on some teams as such power-play will not encourage the clubs to pay their debts. Also, Nigerian National League (NNL) should borrow a leaf from the LMC by denying registration to all clubs that are still owing players as they prepare for the 2017/18 season.”