The regular pre-season medical and fitness tests as well as Seminar/Workshop for Premier League referees in Nigeria, organized by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has been described as a standard practice, FIFA and CAF authorities expect from affiliated Federations.
Making this known is the Head, Refereeing Unit of the NFF, Hon Sani Zubairu, FIFA Rtd, at the just-concluded National Fitness Test for premier league referees in Nigeria, organized at the National Stadium, Abuja.
Zubairu, who is also the Deputy President of the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA, disclosed that the regular exercise is mandatory as the two international football bodies, FIFA and CAF have it as a procedure for referee training and development.
Said he; the pre seasonal program is a recommendation of FIFA for federations to ascertain the medical and physical fitness levels of referees to be used for national competitions each football season.
According to Zubairu who was an international referee for years before retirement, Nigeria as an affiliate of the bodies comply with the regulations. Apart from the Pre Season, he also noted that the Quarterly Fitness Test also takes place.
He noted that kudos must go to the leadership of the Federation led by Amaju Pinnick and the NFF Referees Committee, under Alhaji Sharif Rabiu(Alhan) for doing the needful in terms of support and provision of logistics to ensure the training of referees and conduct of the exercises are always successful.
Explaining further, Zubairu said that referees drawn from Southern Zones took part in the first two days before those of the North followed in the four-day event that saw instructors undertake medical and physical fitness tests including the teaching of the laws of the game.
While successful ones will be used, those who couldn’t make shall be rested for the season.
