NFF Orders Closure Of Goal Project Over Death Of Player During Trials

NFF Orders Closure Of Goal Project Over Death Of Player During Trials

By Our Reporter

 A young Nigerian footballer whose name was simply given as Enesha on Tuesday morning collapsed inside FIFA goal project pitch and died on the way to hospital.

The late player who was part of a grassroots club, Greenlight FC from Zaria, was said to be taking part in a football scouting programme organised by a popular football agent, Babawo Mohammed.

The trials commenced immediately the Golden Eaglets had their training session ahead of the U17 WAFU B in Ghana.

An eye witness who did not want his name mentioned said that as at the time the player slumped, no single medical equipment was available for use to revive him before rushing him to a nearby medical facility.

“The player was among those inside the pitch playing before he slumped. Everybody within was shocked immediately the incident happened. But to our surprise, no single medical personnel was available to attend to him before he was rushed to the hospital. Eventually he died on the way,” One of the officials stated.

Further investigation revealed that the organisers of the programme hurriedly secured approval to use the pitch 'verbally' few days ago as against the procedural way of getting official approval.

“NFF had earlier given an official approval to a football club known since February 2022 to use the pitch starting from Monday June 6 to Thursday June 9, but we don’t know how another agent had his way and hurriedly secured approval just last week to use same pitch within same days,”.

The main organiser of the programme, Babawo, couldn’t respond to calls and text message put across to him.

It was learnt that upon hearing about the incident, NFF reportedly ordered any other football activity on the pitch to be suspended.

Culled from Blueprint