Sports
THE Chairman of Nigeria Football Federation’s Referees Development Committee, Mrs Faith Irabor, has promised improved officiating at the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premiership Football League (NPFL)
Mrs Irabor gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the Cooper test and training for referees, on Thursday in Abuja at the Moshood Abiola stadium.
Irabor said that the changes in officiating would be in the area of Off-side and handball.
“It is only a deliberate handball that will be penalised. This is because if the ball hits the hand that is in its natural position, no foul will be given.
“If you watched the European Championship, you will discover that the referees did not punish players for handballs that are not deliberate.
“So the training among others is to educate the referees that when the hand is in its natural position and the ball hits it, the rule of the game has not been violated,“he said.
The Irabor said that the essence of the test was to ensure that the referees are at alert mentally and physically to be able to make the best of decision.
She said that referees that were fit were dropped in the batch A training of the referees which started on Aug. 19.
According to her, about 80 per cent of the referees that participated in the first batch of the test and training passed while 20 per cent dropped.
“The test and training was good in spite that some had to drop, in all, I will say the performance was not bad because 80 per cent were in A group,”she said.
On the welfare of referees, she said that the welfare package of referees has been increased by 100 per cent unlike before.
She said that no referee was being owed his or her wage or indemnity, so the best of officiating is what is expected from them in this season.
Irabor said that why this year’s cooper test and training was holistic was because management of the clubs that will participate in this year’s league, where also part of the training.
“We invited the club coaches, secretary and club captains to the training so that we will all be on the same page,“he said.
She said the essence of training both the club management and the referees, was to ensure that nobody violates the laws of the game.
The chairman maintained that punishments would be meted out to those who violates the laws of the game.
NAN reports that a total of 250 referees participated in the exercise, with about 20 per cent of them dropping out. (NAN)
A.I
Aug. 29, 2024
Tags: Mrs Faith Irabor
