The National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) otherwise known as Players Union has appealed to all clubs that qualified for the 2017 Confederation of Africa football (CAF) competition, to settle all outstanding debts owed players and coaches or face disqualification.
According to a release signed by the Union National Public Relations Officer, Ogidi Mohammed Mutairu, the clubs: Rangers International FC of Enugu, Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt and Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi face debarment from CAF competitions.
The release reads in part : in the light of the above, was as the recognized labour union passionately championing the cause of professional football in Nigeria are concerned that in the midst of the jamboree and fanfare that followed the achievement of these clubs, the purported cash gifts and allocations, to these clubs following their success, they seem to have sworn to starve players and coaches of these salaries and as usual disobey NFF Arbitration Committed decision it is our insistence that this culture of clubs depriving players and coaches of their livelihood must stop.
It threatens to invoke Article 3.1 of the CAF Club licensing Regulation, which disqualifies clubs on the ground of no breach of contract by not paying its players and coaches their entitlements.
Consequently, we have written to the Nigeria clubs that qualified for 2017 CAF competition and their Commissioners of Sports in their respective states clarifying the following: that it is in the best interest of the players, coaches, the club, the country and image of the game, that the clubs liquidate all these debts for current and former players and obey the NFF arbitral decisions without delay.
That refusal, delay or neglect of payment is a mortal sin that will lead to unintended consequences and embarrassment, as the club will have to contend with the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) in express breach of Articles 3.1 of the CAF Club Licensing Regulations.
The Players Union claims to have received complaints from players and coaches that these clubs heavily owe players and coaches huge sums of money in form of salaries including the 2014/2015 season salaries.
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