Why FIFA will continue to snub Nigerian referees — Adebisi

A FIFA instructor, Mrs. Olajumoke Adebisi Odeniran, has said the world football governing body, FIFA will continue to snub Nigerian Referees in CAF and FIFA-organized competitions due to absence of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the Nigerian Football Leagues. Odeniran said this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the Southern Match Commissioners seminar organized by […]

A FIFA instructor, Mrs. Olajumoke Adebisi Odeniran, has said the world football governing body, FIFA will continue to snub Nigerian Referees in CAF and FIFA-organized competitions due to absence of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the Nigerian Football Leagues.

Odeniran said this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the Southern Match Commissioners seminar organized by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The FIFA instructor emphasized that no Nigerian referee would be called up for any international competitions without having training on the use of the VAR technology.

She maintained that until the organisers of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) introduce the use of VAR in the nation’s football league, Nigerian football referees will continue to play second-fiddle and languish on the continent.

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She said “FIFA will continue to ignore Nigerian referees because we are not in tune with FIFA standards. For you to practice VAR, you need one year of planning because FIFA must inspect the stadium and train the referees on how to use VAR. 

“So, when you don’t know how to use VAR, there is no way you will be considered to officiate in any VAR-inclined competition. We should stop making noise about the non-selection of Nigerian referees by FIFA because we are not there yet.”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has sensitized no fewer than 287 Match Commissioners ahead of the new season of the 2023/24 Nigeria National League (NNL), Nationwide League One (NLO), and Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL).

The pre-season training which was held in Abeokuta had participants from the 18 Southern states for the 2023 NFF Match Commissioners seminar for the Southern province.

Declaring the event open, the Chairman, NFF Match Commissioner Appointment Committee, Alhaji Babagana Kalli asserted that the football body would not condone any form of negligence from the match Commissioners.

Kalli stressed the need for each match Commissioner to maintain consciousness regarding their responsibilities and execute their assignments diligently.

He reiterated that cooperation among match Commissioners was necessary to foster a unified approach.

“Each match Commissioner should be conscious of their activities and to carry the assignments accordingly.

“Match Commissioners should always cooperate with one another to ensure success,” Kalli said.