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Nigeria Referees Association set for 2016/2017 NPFL

NPFL referees

NPFL referees

The Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) has said that its members were ready to continue to officiate creditably in the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The President of the association, Tade Azeez, gave the assurance to Nigerian soccer fans on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to him, the NRA has been organizing programmes to prepare the referees ahead of the season scheduled to kick-off this month.

“We have just concluded physical fitness test to assess the fitness level of the referees.

“Immediately after the fitness test, we had a seminar to acquaint them with the latest development as far as the laws of the game are concerned.

“Hopefully, we are very ready and we are set for the league,’’ he said.

He urged the League Management Committee (LMC) to make adequate provision to protect referees during and after matches, noting that referees would boycott match venues that would endanger their lives.

“I believe the LMC will provide security for my members but if the security is not adequate, our members will not officiate at such venues.

“I am re-emphasising this, anywhere our referees are beaten in the coming season, we will not go to such venues again,” he said.

Rangers International FC of Enugu won the 2015/2016 NPFL.

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