World sports governing bodies have always made it clear that government and other extraneous interferences in the running of their games are not welcome. The global football governing organisation, Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), is not an exception. This is the reason Nigeria is now facing the possibility of a ban from all international football competitions by FIFA, if immediate steps are not taken to avoid the looming danger.
Chris Giwa, Chairman of Giwa FC in Jos, reportedly got a judgment from a Jos High Court last Friday, which nullified the election that brought the Amaju Pinnick-led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Board into office and declared him (Giwa) the rightful head of the Federation.
Buoyed by the said judgment, Giwa quickly attempted to implement it with a forceful takeover of the NFF office and leadership. Solomon Dalung, Minister of Youth and Sports, initially responded by sealing off NFF’s Glass House and asking parties in the dispute to maintain the peace and “respect the rule of law.”
The government response to this looming crisis does not go far enough. In fact, there are encouraging insinuations in many quarters that Dalung is in cahoots with Giwa to remove Amaju Pinnick from office. However, the minister has made spirited efforts to distance himself from this allegation. He claimed that the court papers served him were dated 2014 and that no court order had been served him restraining the Amaju Pinnick-led board from carrying on in the NFF.
FIFA, however, is not taking these unfortunate developments in Nigerian football administration lying low. In a strongly worded letter entitled “Verdict of the Jos High Court” addressed to NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, the organisation warned that the courts’ decision, if implemented, “would likely be considered an interference in the internal affairs of the NFF and the case would be brought to the highest authorities of FIFA for consideration of sanctions, including the suspension of the NFF.”
FIFA statutes guiding global football activities and those relating to dispute resolution are very clear. They provide that no football matter should be taken to civil courts. Rather, the venue approved for such matters is the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and this fact is well known to all genuine football stakeholders.
Nigerians must be careful not to allow football to be brought into disrepute and public odium in the country? Giwa’s action smacks of desperation, indiscipline and complete disregard for the development of football in the country.
The NFF is, therefore, right to sanction him and his co-travellers on this path of infamy. Giwa and other listed persons have been asked to appear before the NFF Disciplinary Board to explain why he should not be punished. This is to give them fair hearing. At the end of the day, Giwa and his backers in the effort to take over the NFF leadership in a manner contrary to FIFA’s guidelines are expected to be sanctioned.
The attempt by interested parties to resort to subterfuge, self-help and impunity during football disputes should be discouraged and severely dealt with. A good example should be made of such parties.
The point must be made that some jobs enjoy unique statutory privileges. This implies that there are clear rules and guidelines on how anyone is appointed and removed from such jobs. The NFF presidency is one of such jobs. The FIFA guidelines are quite clear on this.
Those who wish to sack or replace the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF board must be patient and go through the prescribed processes. Once a board has been deemed properly constituted by FIFA, it must be allowed to run its course before other interested parties can seek to replace it. If there are issues that cannot wait, such are best canvassed at the Arbitration Court for Sports and its decisions will be final and binding on all parties to the dispute.
To attempt to get through the back door what could not be procured at the Arbitration Court for Sports as Giwa tried to do is not good for Nigeria. It is a calculated attempt to draw the clock of progress backwards. No matter how aggrieved Nigerians may feel about the recent poor performance of the national team and general football administration in the country, risking an outright FIFA ban is not the right way to go.
Government should immediately do the needful to avert this looming ban. Let Giwa and his backers save Nigeria the nightmare of a FIFA ban. Our courts will also do well to steer clear of leadership disputes in football house, and those in other sports bodies under the regulation of international sporting federations.
