Referees committee goes tough

*About 15 referees relaxed from appointment pending final investigation of their matches.

About fifteen members of the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA, have been temporarily relaxed from the list of Premier League referees for 2018/2019 Season pending the conclusion of investigation concerning their matches arising from suspected poor performances and improper interpretation of the Laws of The Game including acts that brought the game to disrepute.

In line with the desire of the NFF Referees Committee not to spare any referee found wanting in the course of performing his/her  functions this season, the following referees shall stand down on the appointment list pending the final determination of their cases. The referees involved are some of  those  who officiated the Week 4 matches and one of the week three. The list is as follows;

El Kanemi vs Nassarawa

Femi Okebukola OY

China Levi RV and Nwandu O IM

Ojo B, KD

Katsina vs Wikki

Ads

Nworie P EN

Tejiri DT, Bada A LG

Hussaini M FCT

Abia vs Kada

Ajayi F OY

Jimoh A BA, Surakat M KW

John E ED

Remo vs Insurance

Bethel N

Nalado BA, Idris Nuhu

Reacting over the development, the President of the NRA, Otunba Tade Azeez said that the new measure is in line with the desire of the regulating bodies and the association to bring in enough sanity into the refereeing system.

He said that the focus of the NFF Referees Committee in conjunction with the NRA is to deal decisively with any referee found wanting adding that there would be no sacred cows to be spared  this time.

Otunba Tade Azeez advised appointed officials not to be distracted by club antics and refrain from any conduct that would damage the integrity of the association.

While asking appointed officials to “shine their eyes” always at match venues, the NRA President revealed that all video tapes and complaints arising from the said  matches are being looked into before final pronouncements.

Kelechi Mejuobi

NPS