By Albert Akota
Football governing body in Nigeria, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have issued a statement concerning Nigeria football clubs violation of the Covid-19 guidelines.
The federation in a letter expressed displeasure over the recent skirmishes that have transpired at match venues in the NPFL and the NNL.
The most recent of the incident is the one at the Kaduna Stadium where there was a field invasion by fans in the game between Kano Pillars and Akwa United.
The federation through the statement gave a disclaimer that it never permitted any of the leagues to open the stadium to fans.
“It has come to the notice of the Nigeria Football Federation, in a most shocking manner, that despite subsisting ban on spectators at football stadia across the country as a result of the safety rules and protocols surrounding the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), some Clubs, particularly in the Nigeria Professional Football League and the Nigeria National League, have been opening their gates to spectators for their matches.” The statement read.
“At no time did the NFF – the supreme organizing body for football in Nigeria – give any of the Leagues, Clubs or Football Association in the States the go-ahead to entertain spectators at match venues. We have, particularly over the past weekend, been gutted by videos and still photos of large gatherings of spectators at venues of matches of the NPFL and NNL in some parts of the country.” It continued.
The federation consequently asked match commissioners and host clubs to keep to the Presidential Task Force (PTF) guidelines.
“Violation of these directives would be severely dealt with. For sure, host Clubs that open their gates to spectators will judged to have failed in their responsibilities and would be declared to have lost the game in question by three goals and three points, while the Match Commissioner would be suspended indefinitely.” The statement said if clubs and match commissioners fail to comply.
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