Akinwunmi leads NFF’s four-man committee on FIFA sanctions

First Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Seyi Akinwunmi will head a four-man panel to unravel the issues behind the slip that led to Nigeria forfeiting the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Algeria in Constantine on November 10, 2017.

The concluding match of Group B of the African series for Russia 2018 ended in a 1-1 draw, but FIFA on Tuesday awarded all three points to Algeria following Nigeria’s use of ineligible defender, Abdullahi Shehu, in the encounter.

NFF Executive Committee members, Ibrahim Gusau and Felix Anyansi-Agwu are other members of the panel, with Mohammed Nasir Saidu, Chairman of Sokoto Sate Football Association, to serve as member/secretary.

“The Committee has two weeks to submit its report. It will have the responsibility of thoroughly investigating how the slip came about and those who were responsible, recommend appropriate sanctions and also make other recommendations that will forestall this kind of error in the future,” NFF President, Amaju Pinnick announced at an early morning meeting with the management and staff of the federation in Abuja yesterday.

Pinnick also charged the Legal Department of the Federation to henceforth work closely with the Legal Committee to ensure the enforcement of the Code of Conduct enshrined in the contract of all coaches, and directed that a separate document be developed to be signed by the Head Coach and Team Administrator of every national team embarking on any assignment.