LMC will take referees safety and welfare more seriously, vows Shehu Dikko

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The elite Nigerian league boss has reiterated his body’s resolve to ensure the safety and welfare of referees in subsequent games following recent attacks on them.

Chairman of the League Management Company, Shehu Dikko has assured that more attention will given at match venues for the safety and welfare of match officials on Wednesday.

His reaction came as a swift response to the complaint made by the president of Nigeria Referees Association, Tade Azeez on the assaulted referees, who handled the Kano Pillars versus Akwa United clash in Kano last Sunday.

The LMC supremo explained that: “This was indeed the second charge in the summary jurisdiction notice issued Kano Pillars and which read, ‘You are in breach of Rule C1 of the Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Professional League Football League, in that on Sunday, 9th April, 2017, immediately after your Match Day 18 Fixture: Kano Pillars FC vs. Akwa United FC, some of your stewards and supporters assaulted match officials (including the Referee, the first assistant referee, the second assistant Referee and the fourth official), thereby failing to comply with the principles of fair play and sportsmanship.

Dikko said his leadership holds match officials in high regards and appealed to the NRA to engage them through the necessary channels of communication without generating public negativities to the league.
“We went ahead to fine Kano Pillars N1m for this breach and impose the payment of compensation of N250, 000 for each of the four match officials in addition to any verified medical cost that the injured officials may bring. This was contained in paragraph B of the summary jurisdiction notice issued to Kano Pillars.

“Our public statement on the recent sanctions started with assurances to Fans, Referees, Players, Coaches and Journalists that safety at match venues would continue to be attended to at all times and this explains why we have taken deliberate steps to attend to the general and individual professional pursuits of our Referees through financial and material support.

He continued: “This season, the LMC has included match officials in a comprehensive combined welfare e Insurance package for Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) which before now covered only Club Officials, Coaches, Players and backroom staff. Indeed, the compensation package negotiated for the Referees is higher than all parties as they are at more risk given their very critical role in matches. It is noteworthy that the LMC is at
present processing claims for a Referee who sustained injuries from an accident on his way home from an NPFL match.

“It is pursuant to enhancing the professional performance of the Referees that the LMC has been providing support funding for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Referees Committee which collaborates with the NRA in organizing fitness tests and training programs to ensure our referees are well trained and attained optimal level.
“In this ongoing 2016/17 season, it is also on record that the LMC has provided over 100 elite Referees with cooler set of three match uniforms free of charge as further motivation to do well and reduce the financial burden on Referees in respect of procurement of uniforms.

“All claims arising from previous assaults on match officials were remitted directly to the concerned persons directly by the LMC which in turn deducts the amount from clubs’ earnings from sponsorship funds. The only outstanding claim is that of Referee Ago who in respect of his damaged FIFA wristwatch and for which he made an initial claim in dollars but has now agreed to be compensated in Naira”.

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