It was widely reported last Tuesday that Nigerian Referees who are to officiate all the Nigeria Premier Football League this new season will smile home with lots of goodies before and after their every football match officiating.
It was also reported that the referees will also be provided with the newly acquired communications gadget in the new 2024/25 football season which begins tomorrow Saturday.
The decision to better the referees’ emoluments by raising their pay by 50 per cent and the provision of communication gadgets was taken after the NPFL board that same day which according to the league board chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye is the fulfillment of the promise made at the end of last football season.
The move is to ensure fair and credible officiating in the NPFL. Elegbeleye revealed that negotiations were ongoing to secure air transportation for referees and players.
The President of the Nigeria Referees Association, Sani Zubairu the same day confirmed that the referees are already in training ahead of the commencement of the league on Saturday.
“We are in training already to get the referees used to the equipment. It will be used by all four referees for all the 380 matches of the NPFL, including the Federation Cup matches,” the NRA president said.
All these, according to him, will enhance the performance of their referees, as nobody can compare officials using gadgets with those that are not.
“So, we are still expecting more high-performance gadgets to be provided for our referees as time goes on”, he added.
But left to me, I don’t see how the rise in the indemnities of match officials will stop or eradicate bad officiating from our leagues.
The men in black are already bad and highly corrupted so an increment of their take home will not be an answer and can stop bad officiating.
We need to holistically look beyond that. We need to do the needful. We need to look at what other people are doing in other countries that better their leagues.
We are not living in isolation; we are living with others who have good and world class leagues. We need to look thoroughly at the way they are running and handling their leagues and copy from them.
Referees who were found wanting must pay for the price of their bad job. I see them as the alpha and Omega that clogged the wheel of our soccer progress. Just look at how our teams that represented the nation in the CAF competition are performing.
Two were already edged out. Until we better our league by stopping win at home syndrome, remaining Rangers and Enyimba.
I don’t see our football developing. But to really know the best way to better our leagues, I contacted some people who are vast and highly knowledgeable in the game.
My first contact to know the best way to do the right thing was Dr. Nura Garba Sabon Sara, a sports analyst, who is of the view that the only way to better the Nigerian league is not only pay rise of the match officials but live show of every match of the league.
To him, it is only when the match officials are fully informed that they are being watched everywhere in the world that they will make them offer good services.
Dr.Sabon Sara further stated that there is also the need to change the way match officials present themselves to the home team anytime they report for officiating.
He was of the opinion that, the situation where match officials call and notify the home team of their arrival must be stopped because that was where the evils are first committed.
Sabon Sara pointed out that in places like England, match officials have no contact with home teams as they don’t even know their location and the place they lodge.
Similarly, when contacted about the issue, Tijjani Shehu Yahaya, CEO of K-Series Sports Management Agency Ltd in Kano, emphasized that the only way to eliminate bad officiating in the league is through the full integration of technology.
He pointed out that the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and the televising of all matches is the solution, as it would ensure that referees are constantly monitored, reducing the likelihood of misconduct.
According to Tijjani Shehu, the full implementation of technology is the key to addressing poor officiating.
He also approved of the idea of raising the pay and providing air transportation for match officials, noting that this would deter home teams from attempting to bribe referees, who often receive little to no payment.
Tijjani Shehu believes that air travel would alleviate the fatigue referees experience when traveling long distances to officiate matches.
Additionally, Alhaji Tijjani called for an end to any form of gifts from home teams to match officials, stating that such practices are the root cause of bad officiating.
He concluded that the only way forward to revolutionize the league is by fully live broadcast of all matches.
But Ibrahim Gwadabe, the chairman Kano Coaches Council, observed that the increment can only contribute only a fraction to the poor officiating of the Nigerian league but not all.
To him, there are so many indicators that bring bad and poor officiating and until they are fully addressed there is no way we can see a good league.
The chairman further stated that until Referees-Team officials’ rapport is totally eradicated, corruption will not stop in the league.
More so, according to Gwadabe, the NPFL must look at the way or device means of punishing erring officials who are found wanting.
Ibrahim Gwadabe lastly urged the NPFL to stop the referees from serving as club player’s agents as it is another way of corruption which led referees compromising during matches.
But when I contacted Bashari A. Maizare Ph.D, former Nigerian referee and also a former Director of Sports, in the Kano State Sports Commission about the subject matter, Maizare said, the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) has faced several challenges related to refereeing several seasons ago.
Some of the problems facing Nigerian football referees according to him include: Inadequate Training and Development: To him, referees lack access to comprehensive training programs, which is the factor hindering their ability to keep pace with the game’s evolving demands.
Dr. Maizare mentioned poor working conditions as another factor which he pointed out that referees often face difficult working conditions, which have to do with inadequate stadium facilities and insufficient supporting staff.
Low Remuneration was another factor which made referees to be receiving meager compensation, making it impossible for them to dedicate themselves in full-time refereeing.
The next factor according to him is Security Concerns. To him referees have faced a lot of threats and intimidation from fans and players, which made them to easily compromise for their safety.
Limited or no Technology, Maizare faulted the NPFL for being slow to adopt technology, such as VAR, to assist referees in making accurate decisions.
On Corruption and Biases, Dr. Maizare said there were allegations of corruption and bias against referees which marred the league and also eroded trust in the refereeing process.
Dr. Maizare named Lack of Accountability as another point because inadequate disciplinary measures for misconduct by players and coaches have contributed to a culture of disrespect of referees.
Dr Bashari A. Maizare then stated that the above points are impediment and challenges to the league and there is the need for the NPFL to prioritize referee development, welfare, and support to ensure the integrity and competitiveness of the league.
And when I asked about the way forward, Maizare who was the former chairman of the forum of the Nigerian Directors of Sports clearly divided the way forward into four, Short-Term, Medium Term, Long Term Solutions and Stakeholder Involvement.
For the Short Term Solution, Dr. Maizare urges the NPFL to address the following Improved Training: To do this, the NPFL should collaborate with international refereeing organizations to provide workshops and clinics.
Enhanced Remuneration: As it has plans to do in the coming season, the NPFL should be reviewing by increasing referees’ pay to motivate and retain top talent.
Advanced Technology: The NPFL must introduce Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and Goal-Line Technology (GLT) to aid decision making.
Security Measures: The NPFL must ensure referees’ safety with adequate security and protection in all stadia.
Accountability: NPFL must establish strict disciplinary measures for player and coach misconduct.
For Medium-Term Solutions, Dr. Maizare advocated the following. The first is Referee Development Programs which will see the establishment of a national refereeing academy to identify and nurture young talents.
The second point is Mentorship Initiatives; This will see the pairing of experienced referees with newcomers for guidance and support.
Fitness and Wellness Programs, this if implemented will train and improve referees’ physical and mental well-being.
Regular Evaluations, this according to Maizare will be conducted regularly to ascertain their performance and also identify areas for improvement.
The last point here is Referee Exchange Programs, which will enable the participation of our referees in international refereeing exchange programs.
And under Long-Term Solutions, Dr. Maizare serialized National Refereeing Strategy as number one to develop a comprehensive plan to elevate refereeing standards.
The second is the Investment in Infrastructure, which will upgrade the stadia facilities and equipment.
Professionalism is the third which encourages referees to pursue refereeing as a fulltime career. Second to the last is Governance Reform, which will strengthen refereeing governance and independence. Cultural Shift is the last and it promotes a culture of respect for referees among players, coaches, and fans.
For Stakeholder Involvement, DrMaizare named the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as a provider of leadership and resources, League Management Company (LMC) to ensure effective league administration, State Football Associations to support grassroots refereeing development, Sponsors and Partners to offer financial backing and the last point is Fans and Media.
These groups are expected to promote culture of respect for referees.
Dr. Maizare lastly pointed out that unless all these suggestions are adequately and decisively implemented, the expected robust officiating in the league will remain an exercise in futility.
So something more serious must be done to save our soccer.