League Management Company (LMC) has warned that clubs found to be in breach of financial obligations to players will not be registered for the 2014/15 Glo Premier League season.
This is in reaction to the spate of protests and threats of strike by players of some Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs.
Chairman of LMC, Nduka Irabor, emphasised that a ‘no pay, no play’ policy will be adopted in the registration process for the coming season and noted that all clubs seeking registration must provide proof that there are no overdue payables, especially to the players. He said the zero tolerance for clubs’ indebtedness to players will cover current and former players of the clubs.
Irabor reminded Club Managers and Owners recently that compliance to the Financial Criteria is a fundamental requirement for club registration under the Licensing Conditions.
According to him, the mandatory compliance with licensing regulations has been reiterated by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which also recently warned that clubs that are not licensed by the federation would not be registered to compete in CAF inter-club competitions.
Harping on the issue of players’ welfare, which he said is a fundamental requirement under club licensing regulations, he expressed displeasure that some clubs had been cited in cases of non-fulfilment of contractual obligation to players.
Irabor described as embarrassing to the nation’s football reports of street protests by players of these clubs for non-payment of their salaries and other emoluments.
His words: “The numerous reports about players in the league being owed salaries for several months, including public protests by players over unpaid salaries, are disheartening, and it is extremely embarrassing that a great football nation such as ours is exposed to ridicule and not allowed to see the performances of happy and well compensated professional football players.”
He, therefore, vowed that the LMC will uphold the sanctity of player contracts and offer players every necessary aid to obtain redress for any breach of contracts.