NRA CONDEMNS ATTACK ON REFEREES

Irked by return of hologanism to league centres in Nigeria, the Nigeria Referees Association,NRA has condemned Sunday's attack on match officials who handled the Kano Pillars vs Akwa Utd of Uyo game at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.

NRA President, Tade Azeez stated that it is an act of barbarism on the part of any club side to molest and attack referees because it lost at home adding that such misdemeanor is in contrast to the development of football in the country.

According to Tade, the call for free and fair Officiating indicates that teams must accept outcome of matches even when they lose at home.

Tade however disclosed that despite the trauma, injuries and sad experience, the referees suffered, it won't stop Referees from applying best practices and adoption of correct interpretation of the Laws of the Game in the course of the game.

Meanwhile, the NRA has communicated to the LMC.of its discomfort about the Kano incident. NRA in the letter to LMC stated that "in the said game that ended 0-1 in favour of visiting Akwa Utd, the referees were not only held hostage but also viciously attacked and injured. Apart from the referee gasing out after he was beaten to a state of coma and rushed into an ambulance, the Assistant Referees including the Fourth Official received degrees of injuries at the end of the match"

In the statement endorsed by the President, Tade, it further stated that  "this notification to LMC is necessary in view of challenges such negative incidents and ugly reports pose against the  desire of our members to be fair, firm and upright at match venues. As strategic partners in the desire to redifine our league and give it the best Officiating, the NRA craves for the continued protection of referees at match venues even as the referees' body calls for appropriate sanctions to offending clubs

"The NRA appreciates the efforts of the LMC at repositioning our league and promises not to relent at ensuring that referees live up to expectations at league centres" NRA added.