Chairman Club Owners Association Barr. Isaac Danladi has observed with great dismay and dissatisfaction the recent assault and violence on Nigeria Professional Football League Referees in some venues of our League Matches which is barely 3-week-old.
“I wish to condemn in the strongest terms this act of barbarism which I consider as arising out of desperation to win games at home at all cost. This must stop henceforth,” he said.
“We as Club Owners have constantly criticised the Referees when things dont go our ways to the extent that recently we collectively and unanimously recommended a 5year ban for erring referees in the League. Incidentally, he who wants equity must do equity or better still, he who comes to equity must come with clean hands”.
“Even as i join many football lovers and stakeholders across the Country in frowning at the violence on our highly respected Referees,which has become one violence too many, I wish to on behalf of the Club Owners Association.
1. Identify with the Referees who were victims of the assault at the match venues concerned and wish those Referees who were injured in the process speedy recovery.
2. Commend the Leadership of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA)for their patience and understanding during the trying period, as we shall continue to be partners in progress.
3. Urge the NRA to ensure that Referees appointed to handle matches in the NPFL do so in line with world best practices.
4. Applaud the Leadership of the League Management Company(LMC) for the prompt action taken in pronouncing appropriate Punishment and Sanctions to Clubs and their irate fans involved to serve as a deterrent to other Clubs and Club fans with the negative intentions of doing same.
5.Call on all NPFL Clubs to educate and caution their fans and / or Supporters to desist from acts capable of bringing our beautiful game to disrepute.
6. Request the LMC to approach Courts of Competent Jurisdiction to try and Sentence those guilty of Referee abuse at the highest possible threshold and issue stiffer football banning Orders no matter whose ox is gored.
7. Commend those Clubs that have so far suffered home defeats and draws without reported cases of violence or attack on Referees after the game in their Match Venues.
8. There is no line, because we hardly hear a Club Chairman or Manager saying that he has a right to complain or assault his Player because that Player missed an open goal etc. Therefore, we need to have a long hard at ourselves.
9. Preventive Methods should be enforced by various State FAs too because Sometimes FA and other bodies and organisations have failed in the performance of their official functions and have therefore become part of the problems themselves.
10. In our attempt to bring justice to the game of Football to create equality and effect the much desired change around many important issues, we should not forget inter- alia the safety of Referees at our match venues before, during and after games.
