President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, on Monday decorated 30 Nigerian referees with FIFA badges in Abuja, charging them to uphold integrity and professionalism in their duties.
Speaking at the ceremony, Gusau noted that increased television coverage of domestic league matches leaves no room for misconduct.
“Our league matches are now televised. The Shooting Stars versus Warri Wolves game was aired on about eleven stations. We plan to increase coverage to thirty stations,” he said.
He warned that any form of misconduct would attract strict sanctions, including the withdrawal of FIFA badges.
“There is no hiding place. Matches are live on television. Any referee who misbehaves will have the badge revoked. We must take this seriously,” Gusau stated.
The NFF president directed that complaints regarding officiating be submitted immediately after matches, along with referees’ badges and uniforms, stressing that disciplinary decisions would be final.
Gusau added that credible officiating is essential to attracting sponsors and driving the economic growth of the league, warning that poor refereeing could deter potential investors.
He also revealed that the federation had secured a television partnership aimed at expanding live broadcasts nationwide, contingent on the availability of functional state television stations.
NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, expressed confidence in the referees’ competence and their capacity to excel at the international level. A CAF and FIFA match commissioner, Sanusi said he could distinguish between deliberate errors and genuine mistakes, urging officials to consistently give their best.
Of the 30 badge recipients, four are futsal referees, four beach soccer referees, eleven assistant referees, and eleven centre referees.
