A retired FIFA Referee,
Taiwo Osawe, has called for sanctions against state Football Associations (FA) and clubs who fail to provide adequate security for match officials and visiting teams.
Osawe told newsmen last week in Benin that his call for sanctions was to curb the increasing hooliganism in Nigerian football.
He also expressed dismay over the Nigerian Nationwide League (NNWL) board’s decision to sanction only Ekiti United FC in the attacks on match officials.
“I observe with dismay the decision by the NNWL board concerning the attack on Spartan FC and banishing Ekiti United to Ibadan with fines.
“Whereas the decision taken on the attack on match officials which necessitated Nigerian Referee Association (NRA) withdrawing their members was silent.
“We want to know the outcome of the referee’s issue,’’ he said.
It will be recalled that the NRA recently issued a statement directing its members to stop officiating in NNWL matches following the growing cases of attacks on match officials.
The club’s supporters recently attacked NRA members during matches at Ado Ekiti in Ekiti, Nnewi in Anambra and Delta.
But Osawe commended the Alhaji Tade Azeez-led NRA for the precautionary decision on the matter to protect match officials.
He also appealed to the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), League Management Company, NNWL and the Women’s League boards to sanction host FAs and clubs who fail to provide adequate security for officials and visiting clubs.
“We will no longer accept the cosmetic assurances during pre-match meetings and the decision to lodge match officials by host teams should be discouraged,’’ he said.