April 19 – Nigeria have been warned by FIFA that they could face serious sanctions, including missing this year’s World Cup in South Africa, if court action by a disgruntled official is not dropped.
FIFA’s warning followed a suit filed in an Abuja High Court by Sam Jaja over his disqualification from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) Board elections.
FIFA statutes require that all football matters should be settled outside the lawcourts and they have warned the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) that they face suspension if the matter is not sorted out.
NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire said that FIFA had contacted them to remind the federation of its Article 64 Paragraph 2 frowning at football matters being taken to law courts.
It warned that efforts should be made to ensure Jaja withdrew the case and the NFF should take action against him if he failed to comply.
“FIFA member associations must ensure that their own members comply with the Statutes (Article 13, Paragragh 1 (d) of the FIFA Statutes),” the statement sent to the NFF said.
“As a consequence, we request the Nigeria Football Federation to ask for an immediate withdrawal of the claim and, in case of non-compliance by the claimant, to take sanction against him.
“We remind you that if the NFF does not comply, FIFA could have to act according to Article 13 Paragragh 2 of the FIFA Statutes which state that violation of obligations by any member may lead to sanctions.”
Jaja, the former President of the Nigerian Referees’ Association, launched the court action after opponents barred him from contesting the elections for the NPL.
Last month, in a preliminary hearing, a High Court in Nigerian capital Abuja warned the NPL and NFF that they did not have the power to stop Jafa running and ruled that the election should not be held until the situation was resolved.
Olajire warned that the threat of Nigeria being banned from international football by FIFA and being unable to compete in the World Cup was a real one.
He said: ”It is clear that one man’s ambition is threatening the country’s World Cup participation, as FIFA’s sanction is usually in form of suspension of member association.”
Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, qualified for South Africa after missing out of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Under recently appointed Swedish coach Lars Lagerback, Nigeria’s provisional squad for South Africa is due to hold a training camp in England next week and will include several Premier League players, including Everton’s Joseph Yobo, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Victor Anichebe, Bolton Wanderers’ Daniel Shittu, Fulham’s Dickson Etuhu, Chelsea’s Obi Mikel, Hull City’s Seyi Olofinjana and Portsmouth’s Nwankwo Kanu and John Utaka
Earlier this month the NFF banned Ray Nnaji, a former Board member of the NPL, from all football activities after he had failed to overturn a ban in him taking part in the elections.
Nnaji, a barrister, had written to FIFA to try to clarify the rule that football matters should not be taken to a civil court.