NPFL Preseason Tourney: Controversy trails N100m prize money

Controversy as the winner of the NPFL-Dozy Mmobuosi Foundation Pre-Season Tournament, Shooting Stars of Ibadan has denied that the club didn’t receive the 100M Naira Prize money.

Shooting Stars defeated Enyimba International of Aba to win the maiden edition of the four traditional club Competitions, the Ibadan-based club defeated Bendel Insurance and Enugu Rangers to win the tournament.

The management of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan has disclosed that the club received 50 million naira and 100 million naira as prize money.

3SC were presented a 100 million naira cheque after the final game at the Mobolaji Jhonson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.

The Oluyole Warriors said that there was a mutual agreement between the four participating clubs, before the commencement of the tournament, that whoever emerges as the winner will part with fifty per cent of the money, to be shared by the other three teams.

Shooting stars said that in the memorandum of understanding that was signed by the four clubs to back up the agreement the team got 50 million naira, the first runner-up, Enyimba FC got 25,000,000 naira, while third-placed Bendel Insurance and fourth-placed Rangers International got 15,000,000 naira and 10,000,000 naira respectively.

The Interim Management Committee (IMC) has clarified that the prize money for the winner of the preseason tournament remains at 100 million naira.

The IMC Head of Operations, Davidson Owumi said the prize money is for the winner only, 30 million naira has been given to Enyimba as the runners-up.

He said, "Whatever MoU was entered into by the clubs remains their arrangement as the Sponsors, Dozy Mmobuosi Foundation was very clear that the 100M was for the winner and had gone ahead to announce a further 30M for the runner-up, Enyimba International, but the fact remains that the Sponsors would be paying the 100M to Shooting Stars as was officially announced."