NFF Issues New Guidelines To Pick Match Commissioners

In a radical move to enhance officiating of football games in the country, the Match Commissioners’ Appointment Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has rolled out new criteria for the appointment of match commissioners in the country.

Among the major criteria are age qualifications and computer literacy, Chairman of the NFF Match Commissioners’ Appointment Committee, Alhaji Babagana Kalli announced in Abuja on Thursday following the inauguration of the inaugural meeting of the committee.

 GreenWhiteGreen GWG reports that the NFF move follows claims of Nigeria’s underrepresentation among officials of the African Cup of Nations, AFCON tournament in Cameroon that saw a country like Malawi produce a woman as a centre referee when Nigeria could not even produce a man at the centre.

Under the new prescriptions set by the committee on Thursday, , match commissioners must not be less than 30 years old and not more than 65 years old.

“In addition, we have now expunged the names of all retired referees from the list of match commissioners. Means of identification would now be by international passport, national identity card of driver’s license, and computer literacy is now a key requirement for anyone who wishes to be considered for the role of match commissioner in Nigeria.”

 First Vice President of the NFF, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, who stood in for the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick charged the committee to develop workable criteria to drastically reduce the number of match commissioners in the country, as the NFF considered the present number bogus and impracticable considering the number of matches played over a season.

Akinwunmi reiterated that the roles of the referee and the match commissioner are the most crucial in the general management of a football game, and that administrators must regularly seek to improve the policies and methods through which the best hands must emerge, fully prepared, for both roles. “We must also select the very best hands for these important roles without any form of primordial sentiments.”

Also present at the inauguration were the Chairman of Chairmen of Nigeria Football, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau and the Chairman of Referees Committee, Alhaji Sharif Rabiu Inuwa.

Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi, another Member of the NFF Executive Committee, is the vice chairman of the Match Commissioners Appointment Committee, with Timothy Henman Magaji, Bayo Olanlege, Sunday Longbap, Yabagi Baba, Aminu Manmaga, Sabo Abdullahi Dutse, Greg Abang Obuh, Kenneth Nwamuocha, Maurice Mbam and Donald Mbaezue as members. The secretary is Danlami Alanana.  

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