FIFA Sanction: Panic grips officials at Glasshouse as NFF panel begins sitting

 

After federal government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development expressed dissatisfaction with the recent embarrassing sanctions from world football governing body, FIFA, some officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are in panic mood as fact-finding committee begins sitting.

Both some Staff at the management cadre and those at junior level are daily engrossed in deep thought of what becomes the outcome of Barr Seyi Akinwunmi-led panel which began sitting shortly after their inauguration.
While their findings are still close to their chest, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick revealed that the federation is taking steps to fully computerise all aspect of its daily activities.

According to him; “Daily running of the NFF cannot be done in the current manner as most of its operations have to be computerised to avoid lapses. The minister of Youth and Sports was not happy about this.

“Äutomated systems are being put in place whereby cards and other cautions imposed on players in both local and international engagements easily prop up. I had to carry the all the blames as the overall head of the NFF, even though the day-to-day running of the secretariat is statutorily not my responsibility. But the buck stops somewhere, it has to be on my table.

“But you know I cannot be making marketing drives and pursuing policies that will enhance Nigerian football and at the same time myself to secretariat and clerical works of the NFF.
“It is good that the minister has directed that we reorganise the place and I will ensure we carry out that assignment diligently.”

It was gathered that Nigeria could have escaped the FIFA sanction had the officer the notification of the ineligibility of Shehu Abdulahi had acted or the communication passed to other since he was unavailable on health grounds.
Nigeria, not only forfeited the match and the point accrued from it, the Super Eagles were also docked three points and three goals in addition to fine imposed and it technically ended the enviable unbeaten run the Super Eagles had established over 36 matches of the World Cup qualifying series since 2004.

 

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