Nigeria Football Federation president, Ibrahim Gusau Wednesday in Abuja decorated 29 referees with their FIFA badges after been elevated to international officiating status. While speaking at the event held at the Conference Hall of the Goal Project, Abuja Gasau who was represented by NFF secretary-general Sanusi Mohammed, urged the referees to desist from influencing the outcome of matches with biased officiating. “Referees must ensure they do their jobs according to the laid down rules and represent Nigeria well because to whom much is given much is expected. “Also with the increase in their allowances and indemnities as well as prompt payments directly to them before their matches, it is expected that all these will act as a morale booster for them “The NFF has also ordered the match commissioners to ensure that all referees are placed on speakers and recorded at all times during matches. “We also ensure that we call them before every match to remind them of the need to do what is right, bearing in mind that Nigeria is a very big country. “We cannot afford not to have the best team representing us at continental championships. “The era where our teams will qualify for continental competitions and get eliminated in the first round must be a thing of the past. “So, what we want is for the referees to be fair in the discharge of their responsibilities,” he said.
Seven of the referees were badged as FIFA referees, while another seven were decorated as FIFA assistant referees. Four were FIFA women referees and three were FIFA women assistant referees. Also badged were four FIFA beach soccer referees while another four were FIFA futsal referees.
