Nigeria Referees Association has expressed its dissatisfaction at the verdict of the League Management Company on the attacks on referees in Kano on Sunday.
In a press release signed by NRA National Publicity Secretary, Kelechi Mejuobi, the referees body expressed its reservations over the decisions taken by the LMC concerning the attacks meted to match officials in the Kano Pillars vs Akwa Utd in Kano.
In the press release, the NRA President, Tade Azeez was quoted as saying that the decisions did not go down well with the referees body who feels unprotected by the LMC’s indifference to the plight of referees whenever they are attacked at match venues.
In what appears like a protest letter the NRA has dispatched to the LMC, the Association complained about the conspicuous absence of any form of cost for medical treatment the referees underwent after suffering several degrees of injuries after the match.
The statement endorsed by Tade Azeez, NRA President reads thus “After a careful study of the decisions LMC made public, the NRA has no option than to protest the indifferent attitude of the league organisers to the plight of Referees involved in the match and persistent non consideration of the post-attack treatment of referees after sustaining injuries arising from physical assaults before, during and after matches.
“The careful exclusion of the medical treatment of the highly injured referees and non consideration of the amount they must have spent and other cost for treatment of injuries after the incident is not only unfortunate but unacceptable to us. Suffice it to note that the referees were they worst hit and unfortunate victims of the riotous acts of supporters in Kano. Ironically, LMC did not consider the referees in the decisions for necessary compensation”
While asking the LMC to recall that “in the past, referees attacked and assaulted by fans in match venues failed to receive monies spent for medical treatment; an ugly trend that has not gone down well with the NRA especially, the listed Premier League referees, it added that “Except, Referees in NPFL are the “sacrificial lambs” of the elite domestic league, the LMC would have considered the fate of match officials attacked by club players and supporters at league centres.”
The NRA further said “Referees have suffered permanent and temporary injuries due to fans’ attack. The scars are sad reminders of zero action from LMC.
“Furthermore, medical treatment claims and cost of items lost by referees in the past have not been redeemed till date while the LMC continues to crave for a better league without considering the plight of referees after suffering violence in match venues.
“In view of the above, the NRA requests the LMC to reconsider the sanctions handed to clubs who attacked referees in the incidents decided to far as no match is worth the life of any referee in Nigeria.
“Once again, the NRA is upbeat about joining LMC in taking the NPFL to the next level by urging its members to continue to free, fair and firm in all matches” the statement added.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
