CAF CAMPAIGN: NFF ORDERS COMPULSORY MEDICAL FOR CLUBS
Maigari
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has insisted that the Nigerian clubs participating in this year's continental competitions must show valid medical fitness certificates and insurance cover papers for their players ahead of their run in Africa.
The assistant general secretary (competitions), Mohammed Sanusi, who met with representatives of some of the clubs, insisted that valid medical and insurance papers as well as security guarantees are mandatory for the Orange CAF Champions League flag bearers, Kano Pillars and Enyimba, as well as the CAF Confederation Cup campaigners, Kaduna United and Sunshine Stars.
Enyimba and Pillars begin their CAF Champions League title chase this weekend with the latter facing Mighty Barolle of Liberia in Monrovia, while former African champion, Enyimba, will lock horns with Michel de Ouenze of Congo in Brazzaville.
At the meeting, Sanusi impressed it on Enyimba's Chairman, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu and his Kaduna United counterpart, Alhaji Sabo Babayaro, that the stipulated conditions for participating in African competitions must be strictly adhered to by the teams. Pillars and Sunshine Stars failed to send representatives. 'Medical certificates of fitness and insurance cover papers for all the 25 players that you have registered are very important.
'CAF will not accept anything less. You must also be prepared to extract from your state government a letter of security guarantee for visiting teams, duly signed by the state governor. 'You must also be ready to take good care of your players and officials, while playing at home and abroad as well as the players and officials of visiting teams and also fulfill the mandatory obligations for match officials,' said Sanusi.
The clubs are also mandated to provide standard playing pitch with lush turf, all-seated arrangement at the stands, good and functional dressing rooms at stadium, functional fax machine and photocopier at stadium and adequate security before, during and after every match.