Stakeholders Bemoan Edibi’s Dropping From World Cup

Stakeholders in the
Nigerian refereeing group yesterday expressed displeasure at the failure of Nigeria’s Peter Edibi to make the final list of referees for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Edibi was one of the prospective assistant referees listed earlier by the world football governing body.
The referees were listed to officiate at the upcoming World Cup finals in Brazil and had since 2012 been undergoing preparations through organised courses and the officiating of high-profile matches.
However, last Wednesday, the FIFA Referees Committee announced a list of 91 referees, made up of 25 referee trios and eight reserve duos, with Edibi missing from the list.
But, some Nigerian refereeing stakeholders said that they had been hopeful that Edibi would be listed so as to break the jinx of Nigeria not having a referee at the World Cup.
Ahmed Maude, President of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), said he could not understand what was responsible for the“ last-minute disappointing news’’ from FIFA.
“I don’t know what actually happened, but maybe it has to do with the team of West African countries that qualified for the World Cup.
“It may be because there are more West African countries among the African teams at the World Cup. So, they might have decided to pick referees from other African regions different from West Africa.
“But, whatever the criteria were, it was very disappointing because we had all hoped that Nigerian referees will be represented at the 2014 World Cup for the first time,’’ Maude said.
Ms Jamila Buhari, the first Nigerian female referee, said Edibi has been doing well and could not have been dropped due to performance.
“I am shocked to my bone marrow and this has become a challenge to Nigerian referees.
“This is because we have all looked forward to breaking the jinx of Nigeria having no referee at the FIFA World Cup till date.
“We have all hoped that it was going to happen this year, because he has been doing very well.
“It is a devastating blow for Nigerian referees, and I cannot say precisely why he was dropped because he has been doing so well, even at the last Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.
“The Confederation of African Football (CAF) rated him among some of the best referees at the competition. So, it is bad news for the refereeing family,’’ she said.
Ameenu Mohammed, a referees instructor with the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), said Edibi’s dropping was a loss to both the NFA and the NRA.
“It is very disappointing in the sense that we had thought we are going to break the jinx this year and have a Nigerian hoisting the country’s flag among officials at the World Cup.
“Although we feel bitter about it, but there is nothing we can do since FIFA has taken its decision.
“It is a loss to the NRA, NFA and to Nigerians entirely. But let us just consider it as the wish of God.
“However, sincerely speaking and by all standards, Edibi worked and struggled for it.
“He spent time, energy and resources to make sure he really prepared for it, and he worked within the specified standard by FIFA in terms of medical, technical and physical fitness,’’ Mohammed said.
He added however that his failure had now become a challenge for Nigerian referees to put in more effort than what Edibi did.
“Going by the records, no Nigerian referee has been at the World Cup, and this is a challenge to all other national referees from Nigeria to struggle further.