FIFA Threatens Nigeria with Fresh Ban

As the NFF leadership crisis continues to unfold, world football governing body, FIFA, has waded in with a threat to ban the country from all football activities.

FIFA vowed to sanction Nigeria in light of last Friday’s ruling of a Jos Federal High Court in Plateau State sacking Amaju Pinnick as the President of the NFF, which forced the authorities to seal off the premises earlier today.

Fifa’s In a letter addressed to its recognised Chairman of the NFF, Pinnick, its Acting Secretary General, Markus Kattner dated April 11, 2016, where it expressed surprise that Ambassador Chris Giwa could resort to a court action after he’d appealed to the highest judicial sport authorities, the Court of Arbitration (CAS) for Sport, and lost there.

This is not the first time that the Pinnick-Giwa faceoff will draw Fifa’s attention to Nigeria, as the country narrowly escaped the hammer in 2014 following the intervention of then President Goodluck Jonathan.

Here’s the full text of Fifa’s letter:

Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick
President
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)
E-mail: [email protected]
Zurich, 11 April 2016
ASG/pco

Verdict of the Jos Federal High Court

Dear President,
We acknowledge receipt of your correspondence dated 8 April 2016 with regard to the ruling of the Federal High Court in Jos which apparently nullified the elections of 30 September 2014 of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
In this respect, and first of all, we would Iike to remind you that according to articles 13 and 17 of the FIFA Statutes, all members associations have to manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties In addition and according to article 68 of the FIFA Statutes, recourse to ordinary courts of Iaw is prohibited unless specifically provided for in the FIFA regulations.
Furthermore, it is the duty of each member association to ensure that these provisions are implemented by its members and possibly take sanctions against those which fail to respect these obligations.
In view of the above, the decision of the Federal High Court in Jos, if implemented, would likely be considered as an interference in the internal affairs of the NFF and the case would be brought to the highest authorities of FIFA for consideration of sanctions, including the suspension of the NFF.
Lastly, we would like to Stress that the plaintiff in question already filed an appeal in relation to the same matter with the highest judicial Sport authorities, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and that said appeal was dismissed by the CAS on 18 May 2015.
We thank you for taking note of the above and kindly ask you to keep us informed of any
development.

Yours sincerely,
FIFA
TI. (l Markus Kattner
Acting Secretary General.