NRA Kicks Against LMC Decisions

The LMC decisions on last Sunday’s league fixture of Kano Pillars and Akwa United has not gone down well with the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA.

In swift reaction via a release by the body’s national publicity secretary, Kelechi Mejuobi, the NRA expressed reservation over the outcome of the decisions taking by the LMC concerning the attack meted to match officials in the Kano Pillars vs. Akwa Utd in Kano.

NRA President, Tade Azeez stated that the decisions did not go down well with the referees’ body which feels unprotected by the indifference approach of the LMC to the plight of referees whenever they are attacked at match venues.

In what appears like a protest letter, the NRA has dispatched to the LMC, the Association complained about the conspicuous absence of any form of cost for medical treatment the referees underwent after suffering several degrees of injuries after the match.

The statement endorsed by Tade Azeez, NRA President reads thus “After a careful study of the decisions LMC made public, the NRA has no option than to protest the indifference attitude of the league organisers to the plight of referees involved in the match and persistent non consideration of the post-attack treatment of referees after sustaining injuries arising from physical assaults before, during and after matches.

“The careful exclusion of the medical treatment of the highly injured referees and non consideration of the amount they must have spent and other cost for treatment of injuries after the incident is not only unfortunate but unacceptable to us.

“Suffice it to note that the referees were the worst hit and unfortunate victims of the riotous acts of supporters in Kano. Ironically, LMC did not consider the referees in the decisions for necessary compensation”

While asking the LMC to recall that “in the past, referees attacked and assaulted by fans in match venues  failed to receive monies spent for medical treatment; an ugly trend that has not gone down well with the NRA especially, the listed Premier League referees.

It added that “except, referees in NPFL are the “sacrificial lamb” of the elite domestic league, the LMC would have considered the fate of match officials attacked by club players and supporters at league centres”

The NRA further said “Referees have suffered permanent and temporary injuries due to fans’ attack. The scars are sad reminders of zero action from LMC.

“Furthermore, medical treatment claims and cost of items lost by referees in the past have not been redeemed till date while the LMC continues to crave for a better league without considering the plight of referees after suffering violence in match venues.

“In view of the above, the NRA requests the LMC to reconsider the sanctions handed to clubs who attacked referees in the incidents decided to far as no match is worth the life of any referee in Nigeria.

“Once again, the NRA is upbeat about joining LMC in taking the NPFL to the next level by urging its members to continue to free, fair and firm in all matches” the statement added.