LMC goes tough on stadium safety requirements
Ubale upbeat as Team Nigeria depart for AJC Tennis
@shagcy Team Nigeria’s coach, Mohammed Ubale is upbeat about the country’s chances of a memorable outing at the 2017 CAT/ITF African Junior Tennis Championship serving off March 25th - April 5th at the Benoni Country Club, Johannesburg.
Ubale, alongside five players are scheduled to arrive the South African capital in the early hours of Thursday from Lagos but despite the absence of team captain, Oyinlomo Barakat Quadri as a result of injury, the coach is keen to see Nigeria matched its best outing at the tournament featuring over 100 players from about 30 countries.
“Yes, it is undoubtedly a big blow to us because we stand a great chance of claiming our first gold ever at the championship.
“Nevertheless, having attained a new standard last year with Michael Osewa playing in the final of the boy’s 14 and under, we hope to match the performance of last year which will represent a huge progress for junior tennis in Nigeria,” Ubale said.
Aside Osewa and Michael Ayoola who will feature in the 16 and Under, the sojourn to South Africa for the three of the players, namely Marylove Edward,
A@shagcy
gainst the backdrop of rising number in spectatorship at matches of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), the League Management Company (LMC) has urged club managers to ensure strict compliance with safety measures at match venues.
Over the past four seasons, the LMC has been working with clubs on strategies to win back fans to match venues after years of dwindling attendance attributed to such reasons as lack of fidelity of match outcomes, poor quality of pitches and absence of adequate security amongst others.
With public acclaim of the excitement of league games and the attendant return of fans to the stands, the LMC is reminding the clubs of the imperatives of always putting in place adequate measures for crowd control and safety of everyone at match venues on match days.
Attendance at NPFL matches has been rising with some games attracting full capacity and having some fans not able to gain access to the stands. There have been some photographs that showed possible breach of regulations in which it was Matthew Abamu and David Dawariye will start of a fierce note as they will be on action after few fours of their arrival on Thursday at the ITF/CAT 14 and Under Junior Circuit which holds from March 23rd - 25th at the University of Pretoria High Performance Centre.
After a total of fourteen training sessions in four days at the team’s camp in Lagos, Ubale was particularly impressed with Dawariye observed that more fans may have been admitted to the games than stadium capacity can allow.
Citing Rules B15.19 of the 2016/17 Framework and Rules, the LMC reminded all clubs that match day tickets must be issued to all spectators to a match even if the gates were declared free.
The LMC said this is also in consonance with world football governing body, FIFA requirements as contained in FIFA Safety Regulations, Article 18.1 which states that “On match days, only persons in possession of valid permits shall be granted entry to the stadium. Valid permits include Match tickets, Workers’ identity cards and Passes”.
The memo signed by the LMC Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar explained that the measure was to ensure proper crowd control and for record purposes.
Noting that some clubs have of recent been observed to have failed to implement adequate crowd control measures, the LMC insisted that all Clubs are required to comply with and implement health and safety measures to prevent overcrowding of stands or the stadium, or other situations which may endanger the lives or wellbeing of spectators. of the Kodian Tennis Foundation Port Harcourt, who will be making his debut at the junior circuit as well as the AJC.
“His attitude to training is fantastic and on the back of winning the CBN junior title few weeks ago, he’s looking forward to the tournament. This is the first time he will be travelling overseas and he is very determined to make the best use of the opportunity.”