Abuja (Nigeria) Twenty-five Nigerian referees have passed the FIFA’s physical fitness tests, making them qualified to officiate in the FIFA World Cup finals, Mr. Joseph Wellington, a FIFA instructor from Ghana said here.

Mr. Wellington said in Abuja on Monday that the referees had participated in FIFA’s high-level course which ended on Saturday in Abuja.

 

"This is the time that Nigerian referees should embrace the challenge of officiating in the World Cup finals, because they are good for it now,’’ he said.

 

Nigerians presently on the FIFA list are six referees, including one female, and 11 assistant referees, including four women.

 

The course involved the sprints run of 40 metres (six times) and endurance run of 300 metres (twelve times).

 

Wellington urged the referees to rely on their conscience at all times in an effort to improve standards of officiating, and said: ``This will further ensure that they are always included in the list of referees appointed by FIFA for the World Cup finals.’’

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Sani Lulu, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has urged referees to uphold honesty and integrity when performing their official duties.

 

He warned that that the NFF would sanction dishonest referees, and noted that the federation would, however, do its best to continue to provide the atmosphere to enable them to compete with their colleagues across the globe.

 

Source:APA

 

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