NFF issues indefinite suspensions to two officials after disallowed goal

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has imposed indefinite suspensions on referee Abdulrasheed Jimoh and assistant referee Zakari Adamu after concluding that Kwara United were denied a legitimate goal during their 1-0 loss to Enugu Rangers. The NFF Refereeing Development Committee penalised the two officials for overturning what it called a “validly scored goal” in Sunday’s Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 12 match at Awka Township Stadium. Rangers went ahead five minutes before the interval. Victor Chimezie collected a pass from Pius Igwe and found the net from a narrow angle. In the 78th minute, Kwara United thought they had levelled through Alex Jerry, but the second assistant referee flagged for an infringement and the goal was disallowed. Rangers protected their advantage and claimed all three points. This marks the second indefinite suspension this season connected to a goal that was incorrectly ruled out. In September, the NFF banned assistant referee Yakubu Aliyu after determining that he had not applied offside rules correctly, including the requirement for officials to delay raising the flag, in Doma United’s Matchday 3 game against Enyimba. Doma United won 2-0, but the committee concluded that Aliyu’s call had influenced the score and result and had damaged the reputation of refereeing and football in Nigeria. He was taken off the league’s list of match officials. The new suspensions come after a number of contentious decisions in recent NPFL campaigns, such as goals that were chalked off, disputed penalties and overlooked infringements during penalty kicks. With such incidents recurring, questions have been raised about whether suspensions by themselves can raise officiating standards, and whether additional referee training and tighter review of match performances are required so that the Laws of the Game are applied consistently.