Clubs in Nigeria’s top tier league; Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) have voted against the cut of their players’ salaries due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Many clubs across major leagues in Europe are grasping with financial difficulties occasioned by the deadly virus and as such are cutting salaries of their playing personnel.
It has now been agreed that Nigeria based footballers will not be affected by such in one of the developments that arose from an online meeting between the League Management Company (LMC) and clubs in the division on Thursday evening.
“The clubs affirmed their commitment to paying salaries and wages of their players and officials during this period and have no intention of cutting down salaries and wages of players under the current circumstances but are even thinking of how to keep supporting their players within this difficult period in line with the objectives of their various owners,” read a statement from the LMC’s Head of Special Duties Harry Iwuala, made available to www.aclsports.com
Thursday’s meeting came on the heels of the LMC Board of Directors meeting that held earlier in the day via same digital media.
All the clubs offered a commitment to be part of any decision reached to conclude the NPFL season whenever federal authorities advises for the opening of the country for business and other engagements including resumption of sporting activities.
The meeting also agreed that should there be any exceptional support to NPFL , the privately funded clubs in the NPFL will get priority attention in the distribution.
“It was unanimously agreed that we would continue to liaise with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Sports Ministry on the possibilities that would work for us and taking into consideration decisions that may be reached by CAF and FIFA with regards to international tournaments, calendar and regulations etc. So, any option and or format that may be chosen will also consider the available time frame within this framework”,LMC chairman Shehu Dikko explained.
Also on the clubs personnel, it was resolved that whenever the league would resume, all players, coaches and backroom staff are to be tested for COVID 19 among other strategies to be adopted to guarantee the well being and health of everyone involved with the NPFL. In this regard the LMC will liaise with the Minister of Sports to facilitate this objective.
