As the 2023/2024 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) draws near, Sanni Zubair, the President of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), has assured football enthusiasts of fair officiating and improvement in the upcoming season.
Zubair, a retired FIFA-badged referee, emphasized the association’s commitment to ensuring that erring match officials are corrected and sanctioned accordingly.
He also expressed his confidence in achieving more victories under the leadership of the newly formed League Management Company (LMC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Zubair further revealed that in the past ten days, the NRA has been working with referees and assessors to reacquaint them with the technicalities and new laws of the game, ensuring that they are better equipped to handle the demands of the upcoming season.
Despite the possibility of human errors, Zubair reiterated that appropriate sanctions would be meted out when necessary to ensure that the league maintains its integrity.
He also emphasized the importance of moving from different levels and dedication to attain greater heights in the referees’ careers.
Zubair noted that the procedures involved in becoming a top-tier referee are rigorous, and it takes time and dedication to move from one level to another.
He expressed delight in the fact that Nigeria now has a referee in the U-20 category, which he described as a big achievement.
He further stated that this was just the beginning, as the NRA plans to work tirelessly to ensure that Nigerian referees attain the elite category in the future.
The 2023/2024 league season is scheduled to commence on September 9th, and with the NRA’s commitment to improving the quality of officiating, football enthusiasts can expect an exciting and fair season ahead.