130 Referees Undergo COPA Test In Abuja

No fewer than 130 referees from different states of the federation underwent the February batch of the 2011/2012 COPA fitness test at the National Stadium in Abuja.

President of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), Alhaji Ahmed Maude, disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja at the weekend.

He said that the February session was designed to accommodate those referees who could not participate in the November 2011 test.

“This is makeup; those that were sick; those that travelled to Mecca during that time or were absent for one reason or another – we are giving them the second chance.

“So, we call them to do their own. It is part and parcel of the other exercise. This is the conclusive part.

“As far as professional and premier league is concerned, there won’t be any other fitness test. Only those at the amateur, not the nationwide, will do theirs’ as they resume.”

Maude praised Peter Edibe, a Nigerian referee, for earning a call to participate in the just concluded 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

He further disclosed that the association was making concerted efforts to ensure that more Nigerian referees officiated in subsequent international tournaments.

According to him, Edibe has featured in two AFCON tournaments,  in Ghana (2008) and Angola (2010).

He said that though two Nigerian referees were earlier scheduled to participate in the AFCON, only Edib could make it because the other person fell sick just before the tournament began.

He expressed regrets that Nigeria’s Super Eagles could not qualify to participate in the fiesta.