Soccer brutality and Insecurity: Who will rescue Nigerian Referees? This year’s fitness test organized for Nigerian Referees has ended but stakeholders in the country’s football arena are still perturbed over the high level of insecurity in Nigeria’s soccer pitches vis-à-vis the credibility of team and match officials who take charge before, during and after match periods. While the physical fitness test lasted, no fewer than 600 referees both male and female from various parts of the country participated with around 500 of them scaling the fitness hurdle. Usual casualties which have always been reported were not recorded this time around at the end of the one week exercise which is normally organised once entire football season is over. Those who were certified fit enough by the medical team under the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Referees Committee are expected to take charge of matches in the Nigeria Nation-Wide League, NNWL, Nigeria National League, NNL and Nigeria Premier League, NPL during the 2014/2015 football season. FIFA –graded referees, including the likes of Opeyemi Amao, Ferdinand Udoh, Abubakar Ago, Abdullahi Shuaibu, Benjamin Odey and Henry Ogunyamodi, referees, and Peter Edibi, Abel Baba, Isah Usman, Tope Orowole, Efosa Igudia and Samuel Pwadutakam , assistant referees, also took part in the final quarter exercise for the year. Accessing the level of success recorded in this year’s exercise, Chairman NFF Referees committee, Alhaji Yusuf Fresh said “We recorded tremendous success during this year’s fitness exercise unlike what was obtainable in the past. No casualty was recorded. “The only person who became unconscious at some point was adequately taken care of and he later regained himself. We decided to carry out the exercise at the main bowl of Abuja National stadium in line with international best practices.” Threat on Referees life and Matter’s Arising From one football season to another, cases of pitch invasion by irate Fans, unfair match officiating by Center and assistant Referees coupled with unnecessary interference by some team officials have continued to heap misery on Nigeria leagues at all levels. The manner at which Organising and Disciplinary, O & D, as well as Appeal Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF handle cases placed on their table have been severally considered subjective by stakeholders. These committees set up by NFF executive board to look into issues arising from the pitch are sometimes accused of being induced by clubs to subvert justice thereby fostering on the Game. At any point in time, Nigerian Referees who appear helpless at few occasions remain at the receiving end especially in hands of home teams should they fail to win their matches. Recent horror on Umpire Only last week, a horrible incidence which nearly claimed the life of a Center Referee, Charles Ozoigbo took place after the referee was alleged to have awarded an undeserved penalty in a rescheduled match involving Ranchers Bees of Kaduna and Kwara United. Sixty-two minutes of the match had been played in Kaduna before the encounter was halted when the tie stood at 2-2 after same penalty was awarded. After hearing by NFF’s O &D and Appeal committee, the remaining minutes of the match was ordered to be completed. Nigerian Pilot correspondent who was on ground at the FIFA Goal Project, Package B of Abuja National Stadium, a neutral venue where the remaining part of the match took place observed how the referee in question received the beaten of his life beginning with the Captain of Ranchers Bees who was later joined by his teammates to pounce on him after he declared that a Kwara United player was fouled inside opponent’s 18 yard box. The incident proved more horrible as Bees Fans joined forces with players to descend on the Referee before armless Police Men came to rescue the battered umpire who was immediately rushed to the hospital. Lamenting, Referee Ozoigbo recounted “You can imagine how players and Fans took laws into their hand to manhandle me to the extent that blood flowed from my body. If not for the police, their plan was to kill me here.” Among the clubs which have been noted for their unruly behavior on and off the pitch in the past football seasons in the NNL are Kwara United, Ranches Bees, Mighty Jets and Plateau United. For instance, in one of the matches involving Supreme Court FC and Kwara United during 2013/2014 season in Abuja, Kwara United players, Fans and Officials nearly lynched Referees and opponent’s officials when they lost 2-1 on the penultimate day if not for the intervention of Security Men on duty. It has been similar case on Bees’ side who time without number allegedly rough-handled match officials in their home soil. Commenting on the need to improve security at match venues in a bid to protect the lives of referees, President Nigeria Referees Association, Alhaji Ahmed Maude remarked, “We shall discuss with LMC and NFF on the way forward for our Referees to have better security at match venues. Security is not just from the police, the general publics including teams have roles to play. On effort being made to enhance the capacity of Referees which will in turn reduce reported cases of non-professional involvement, Maude added “Referees are being engaged in various capacity development programmes. We expect to have better officiating in the coming seasons. “I have assured the referees that whoever performs well will be rewarded and if you perform below expectation, we send you away. We have younger Referees now who have passed fitness test with ease unlike what it has been in the past. Compared with what is obtainable in Europe, I can say we are doing very well here in Nigeria.” For more, visit nigerianpilot
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 11:49:39 +0000