In the midst of allegations match fixing raised by a sportscaster in Ibadan about some teams colluding to arrange results of games in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), a former referee,
Calistus Chukwujekwu has come out with a startling verdict that match fixing is already deep rooted in the country.
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Sports247 gathered that one of the club’s named in the alleged manipulation of results in recent league matches, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan came out with a strongly worded press statement to refute the allegations raised by the said broadcaster, but many lovers of the NPFL are already apprehensive over the possibility of fishy dealings actually going on in the domestic league.
In reaction to the unfolding allegations that also reportedly fingered Katsina United, Lobi Stars of Makurdi and newly crowned champions, Remo Stars of Ikenne, Chukwujekwu stopped short of mentioning anyone specifically, but added that even referees play dirty roles in the search for extra money through illegal actions during matches.
The former FIFA-badged ref, who is now an assessor and instructor at both continental and global levels, stressed: “Match fixing all over the world is a serious crime and serious offence, because it makes all efforts in our game come to nothing. If a referee is caught in match fixing, there is a ten-year ban stipulated as punishment, but that’s just to paint it mildly.
“Such a person should actually be told to leave the profession. If they have concrete evidence that somebody is fixing matches to favour one team or the other, then the person should go where he would be doing betting.”
The highly respected retired football arbiter, who is still fondly called ‘CCC’ by friends and close associates, then turned his focus directly on the Nigerian scene, where he declared that drastic measures are needed urgently to stem the tide of what he alleged is a rapidly growing misnomer in the country.
“Sadly, the reality is that match fixing is eating deeply into the Nigerian football system … referees bet, players bet, but no one is bothered.
“In other climes, they check on these things and take very serious stands against it. So, the earlier we also start checking on it, the better … so that our football will be a lot cleaner than it is now,” Chukwujekwu submitted.
