By Adebayo Olodan
Ahead of the new Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season, I devoted this column last week to what the League Management Company (LMC) and other stakeholders must do to improve the domestic league.
Among the issues that were addressed here was crowd violence which has continued to plague our league for several years.
Surprisingly, the same issue (crowd violence) reared its ugly head on the opening day of the 2017/18 NPFL season as supporters of Katsina United were said to have thrown objects at Kano Pillars’ players and officials after the home team was held to a 2-2 draw.
A player of Kano Pillars, Junior Lokosa and an official of the club were said to have sustained various degrees of injury during the melee which took place at the Muhammad Dikko Stadium, Katsina on Saturday.
Lokosa reportedly fainted but was later revived.
The violence was said to have broke out immediately the referee, Sani Mohammed blew the final whistle.
Pillars looked safe to bag the three points but for a contentious late penalty converted by Destiny Ashadi.
Sources said that Katsina Utd fans who were not happy with the refereeing in the game, decided to vent their anger by attacking players and officials of Kano Pillars.
Regardless of the quality of football on display, issues of crowd violence will continue to discourage would-be investors and more importantly, people from turning up at match venues. No football is worth losing one’s life for, not even the El Classico between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
A football match should not be seen as a do-or-die affair, as you win some and lose some. In other climes, clubs win matches at home and on the road without anyone attacking match officials or players of the opposing team.
Any form of violence in our domestic league is unacceptable and should be condemned totally by all stakeholders, including the media.
To put an end to fans of home team unleashing terror on their opponents, the LMC must first ensure all the domestic league matches are beamed to the world on television. Additionally, they must ensure only referees with integrity are appointed to officiate matches. Referees and their assistants must be professional (no sentiment), focused and must be on top of their game always.
As a follow-up to that, the LMC must provide adequate security to protect the match officials, players and officials of both teams and also the spectators.
Also, fans and management of all the clubs must be sensitised and warned on the danger of crowd violence at their home ground.
The Organising & Disciplinary Committee of the LMC, above all must apply severe punitive measures on erring clubs to deter others from perpetrating crowd violence.
Beyond banishing erring clubs to other states and imposition of fine, the LMC must consider throwing out clubs for bringing the domestic league to disrepute.
Already, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has made itself clear saying there will be stiffer penalties for clubs whose fans assault referees or other match officials in the leagues.
NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, on Monday in Abuja said, “Now is the time to put an end to the recklessness of some fans who always vent their anger on referees or any match official.
“Some hoodlums hide under the guise of fans to perpetrate evil against well-trained and orderly referees and other match officials.
“NFF is ready for them this time around in order to set an example which is aimed at averting future occurrence,” Sanusi, who spoke against the background of the 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) which got underway last weekend, said.
Good reaction from Mr Sanusi but beyond the statement, the NFF needs to walk the talk this season.
