The Disciplinary Committee imposed a ¥1 million fine and match forfeiture after 富士フイルム海老名Minerva AFC failed to participate in the sixth round of the X League Premier. The sanctions take effect on 20 September, and the committee also indicated that the regulations may be reviewed and governance strengthened.
The Disciplinary Committee of the Japan American Football Association (NFA) announced that it had imposed a ¥1 million fine and match forfeiture after determining that 富士フイルム海老名Minerva AFC failed to participate in the match between 富士フイルム and Obic Seagulls scheduled for 13 September. The sanctions take effect on 20 September.
The committee determined that the team had violated Article 8 of the Competition Management Regulations, which requires participation in official matches. It assessed a match forfeiture as having a serious impact on fans, other stakeholders and partner companies, and classified the matter as an extremely serious violation.
At the same time, the committee stated that certain circumstances surrounding the team should be taken into consideration to a degree, but concluded that the team could not be exempted from responsibility. It indicated that if a similar incident occurs in the future, it will impose stricter and more decisive sanctions.
The association stated that the incident has prompted calls for a review of its regulations and governance. It also identified the current regulatory cap of ¥1 million on fines as an issue, underscoring the need to improve the system and strengthen governance functions.