… FIFA Monitoring Situation in Nigeria

World football governing body, FIFA, has written the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to acknowledge that it is aware of the development as regards the Jos High Court ruling of last Friday.

Acting Secretary General of FIFA, Markus Kattner, said monday in an email to the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, that according to articles 13 and 17 of the FIFA Statutes, all member associations have to manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties.

“In addition and according to article 68 of the FIFA Statutes, recourse to ordinary courts of law is prohibited unless specifically provided for in the FIFA Regulations.

“Further-more, it is the duty of each member association to ensure that these provisions are implemented by its members and possibly take sanctions against those which fail to respect these obligations,” observed the statement from Zurich.

In the light of the above, FIFA warned that the decision of the Jos High Court, if implemented, would likely be considered as an interference in the internal affairs of the NFF and the case would be brought to the highest authorities of FIFA for consideration of sanctions, including the suspension of the NFF.

Kattner recalled that the plaintiff in the same Jos High Court case already filed an appeal in relation to the same matter with the highest judicial sport authorities, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and the said appeal was dismissed on May 18, 2015.