By Habeeb Kuranga
Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan management has cleared the air on the prize money received from winning the inaugural Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL -Dozy Mmobuosi Super cup.
The final was played against Eyimba International where 3SC won 3-2. Goals from Malomo Taofeek, Kelly Kester and Anthony Okachi sunk Eyimba and subsequently won the game for the Oluyole warriors.
The prize money for winner of the tournament was One-Hundred Million Naira in a winner-takes-all arrangement. And the cheque was presented to players and officials of the Shooting Stars.
However, the management of 3SC has debunked that they went home with the whole #100,000,000 as what was cited across various media outlet. Stating that the Oluyole warriors went home with just fifty percent of the total prize money which is #50,000,000. While the remaining fifty percent was shared among the other three participants, since it was a 4-team tourney.
The management in an official press statement on the club’s social media page quoted : “We will like to inform all that the organisers actually doled out 100,000,000 naira to the club, as seen in the cheque presented to the Oluyole Warriors.
“However, there was a mutual agreement between the four participating clubs, prior to the commencement of the tourney, that whoever emerges the winner, will part with fifty percent of the money, to be shared by the other three teams.
“This was done in the spirit of sportsmanship and also to douse the tension which could attend the tourney if it were to be a winner takes all situation and to ensure that all the participating teams have something to take home, no matter how small.
“A memorandum of understanding was signed by the four clubs to back up the agreement.
Based on this, Shooting Stars, as winner of the tourney got 50,000,000 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.”
