Domestic football has suffered various forms of setbacks and this is due largely to its poor foundation. The rules to do the right thing and get the desired impact are there but these rules are mere paper work. There are conditions for every team in the elite class of the league but it is indeed a shame that today, we observe that most of the clubs cannot fulfil 70 per cent of the original guidelines set for the teams in the apex cadre of Nigerian football.
We acknowledge that many followers of the domestic league who are not among the numerous others with allegiance to European football, are aware of the various problems in the league. There is problem of poor turf, bad officiating, hooliganism and inadequate security in the stadia across the country.
Each of these problems look harmless until reality stare us in the face.
We make bold to say that the overall administration of the Nigeria Professional League has been suspect over the years. Apart from the facilities that are generally poor, the league is not on television for fans and other stakeholders to enjoy. We recall as far back as the 80s and 90s, the domestic league was on television while every week, there is always a focus on the match of the week on television. Rather than things to get better with the digital revolution, it is worse for the league.
Last week, tragedy struck in Lafia, venue of the Nasarawa United/Katsina United match. A Nasarawa player, Chineme Martins, slumped and died in rather bizarre circumstances. The video showed clearly that the player died due to the negligence of the host team that failed to provide adequate medical facilities and personnel at the stadium. It was indeed a shock that there was no ambulance at the stadium at the time of the incident and the car available was eventually pushed to start. The first aid a cardiac arrest patient required was not provided. Those who rallied to help the player were obviously not trained to do so medically. Human life is precious, but we seem not to value it in this part of the world. Those who attended to Martins for first aid did so ignorantly. Nobody has the training of how to revive a cardiac arrest patient, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while the Lafia City Stadium does not have the AED Defribrillator bag which is used for such emergencies.
It was pathetic as the video also showed the reaction of the players crying uncontrollably after the match. Such incidents do happen across the world but the reactions are different. We recall that Fabrice Muamba of Bolton Wanderers had cardiac arrest in the English Premier League, he was saved due to the swift response and adequate first aid and other facilities expected to be at the stadium. He is alive today. Martins should have been saved, but for the laxity in the overall administration of the league. It’s a failure from the medical perspective. There were no doctors or experts in CPR to save the footballer. There was no ambulance on the pitch as well and we expect that the match commissioner should answer questions on why the match went ahead without required facilities in the laws of the game and the league.
The reaction of the League Management Company (LMC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) did not show seriousness. The two bodies warned that henceforth, proper medical care must be in place before the start of any domestic league match. It has always been a law but clubs or host FAs do not honour it. The LMC imposed a fine of N6 million on the host team Nasarawa United and we learnt the fine might not be paid since there are no strict measures in the league. The fine is too mild and there was no timeline to it.
We expect Nasarawa State FA to explain why there was no ambulance and medical personnel at the stadium last week. It is a surprise that it took the NFF and the LMC six days to ask questions on why Martins died so cheaply. NFF set up a probe panel only Friday and those culpable must be brought to book.
This is also another avenue to evaluate other areas of the league. Putting up half measures cannot help in solving the problems in the domestic league; the authorities should be firm on regulations to get it right.
We make bold to say that the LMC and the NFF must be ready to step on toes to ensure thing are done properly in the league. For a league to produce super stars, there must be good planning and template that conform with what obtains in most parts abroad. We see the transition of players in other parts and back home the football authorities struggle to guarantee smooth transition of players from one age grade to the other.
It is also sad that the continental teams fumble almost every year and this affects the CHAN national team. The decadence in the league in all aspects is a setback to the country’s football. The negligence that led to the death of Martins is an indication of how bad the administration of the league is and efforts should be made to right the wrongs.
