With Nigeria (Football) Referees Association (NRA) Societies and Councils elections concluded across all the states of the federation, Lagos State Football Referee’s Council experienced a change of leadership with Engr. Adams Salauddin emerging as the chairman defeating the incumbent chairman Mr. Moses Adebanjo on the December 18th, 2018 election.
The training wing of the Council also experienced changes as Abdjelil Ogunmuyinwa and Olayinka Olajide both Beach Soccer International Referees emerged as Training Officer and Assistant Training Officers respectively. With less than three weeks in office, the wing has successful organized the annually Council Medical and Physical Fitness Test for the non-league Referees in the State.
Speaking with our correspondent on a chat, Abdjelil stated that the program started years back and normally holds at the beginning of the year. He reassured the Council members of their commitments towards upholding the positive legacies of the immediate past administration while trying to implement international standard of trainings for Referees.
The exercise is expected to start on Friday January 4th by 3pm with a compulsory medical test to ascertain that all participants are medically fit for Saturday 5th Physical Fitness Test at the Main Bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. The Medical Unit of the Lagos State Sports Ministry will be conducting the medical exercise while the Council Training Department will be joined by Mr. James korinjoh (FIFA RTD), all Society Training Officers to conduct the Physical Fitness Test on Saturday which over 80 participants are expected to take part in.
He further outlined his department’s action plan for the year. “We are planning to have technical seminar this time around for NPFL referees, NNL Teams Coaches, Societies Training Officers in the State; organize a seminar for all retires Referees in order to train them as Match Assessors and not Match Commissioners.”
“In line with NRA statutes, we are having a coordinated training programmes across all Societies in alliance with the grading and assessments committee, we have plans to setup Technical Teams to monitor performances of referees in order to adequately grade and profer necessary technical assistance” Abdjelil stated.
“In line with international best practice, we also plan to organize a monthly trivia test for all Referees in the state as well as quarterly compulsory Physical Fitness Test for all NPFL and NNL referees; compulsory practical session in all Societies and Council keep-fit exercises will start immediately,” he concluded.
The Council boast of the lead Nigerian Technical Instructor for Referees, nine NPFL Referees’ Assessors, an International Association Referee, two Beach Soccer International Referees and 12 additional NPFL Referees.
 Referees Association (NRA) Societies and Councils elections concluded across all the states of the federation, Lagos State Football){kind=link}