The Refereeing Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dropped two erring referees from officiating in any league match.
The erring referees, Ridwan Ayeni and Abubakar Jimoh, both from the Lagos State Referees Council, were stepped down from further participating in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) "indefinitely and with immediate effect".
The referees are being disciplined for failing to award a glaring and obvious penalty in the league match between Kwara United and Bayelsa United on February 15, 2025.
The incident in question involved a Bayelsa United player, who was wrestled down by a Kwara United defender in the vital area, in the course of a counter attack.
The assistant referee is paying for the sin of not assisting the centre referee even though the incident happened in his area of operation.
A letter dated February 17, 2025 and signed by Mohammed Ameenu, on behalf of the chairman of the Referees Development Committee, said the action of the duo (centre referee and assistant referee), in ignoring to award a glaring penalty, even when the incident met all requirements for a foul, affected the outcome of the said match.
The letter, addressed to the two erring officials, titled "STEPPED DOWN FROM NPFL MATCHES, reads in part: "Reference to your decisions that adversely affects not only the outcome of the match between Kwara United and Bayelsa United played on Sunday, 15th February, 2025 wherein you ignored a glaring penalty incident that fulfilled all requirements of a foul (holding/pulling) within the provisions of the Laws of the Game.
"I am therefore directed to notify both of you that you have been stepped down indefinitely and with immediate effect from the League".
The letter further said the actions, or inactions of the centre referee and assistant referee, did not only affect the outcome of the match but equally brought the game to disrepute.
It is expeccted that this kind of disciplinary action will make officciating referees take their job more seriously and handle it with utmost responsibility. For a long time now, the bane of football in Nigeria is officciating. It is extremely difficult for teams to win matches on away ground. Certainly, this action will serve as a deterrent to other referees.
