NPFL Club Owners Recommend Jail Term For Fans Who Assault Referee

NPFL Club Owners Recommend Jail Term For Fans Who Assault Referee

By Niyi Busari

The Nigeria Professional Football League Club Owners Association has recommended jail term for any fan caught assaulting referee at any match venue, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Following the reoccurring incident of assaults on match officials in two different stadiums the Club Owners frowned at the recent assault and violence on Nigerian Referees and expressed their displeasure on the ugly situation.

In a statement made available to www.bsnsports.com.ng signed by the Chairman, Isaac Danladi, Esq the body condemned that act and recommended a stiffer penalty for anyone who is caught in the act of molesting match officials, adding that such fan or anyone caught should be banned from coming to the stadium to watch football matches.

The association believes the ugly and unfortunate situation is as a result of the desperation of home teams to win games at all cost.

The association commended teams who have lost or play draw home games without recording any violence or referee assault and also the Nigeria Referee Association for cooperating with the league during the trying times.

"Request the LMC to approach Courts of Competent Jurisdiction to try and sentence those guilty of referee abuse at the highest possible threshold and issue stiffer football banning Orders no matter whose ox is gored."

State FAs were also advised to apply preventive measures to curb the activities of fans gaining access to either the pitch or dressing room to harass or assault referee.

"Preventive  Methods should be enforced by various State FAs too because Sometimes FA and other bodies and organisations have failed in the performance of their official functions and have therefore become part of the problems themselves.

1. "In our attempt to bring justice to the game of Football to create equality and effect the much-desired change around many important issues, we should not forget inter- alia the safety of Referees at our match venues before, during and after games." The statement reads.