The Nigeria Players Union, National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) is worried over the issue of players that are being trade restrained by their clubs even as the 2018/2019 Football league season is gearing to kick off.
The Union office is inundated with series of complaints from players who have been prevented by their clubs from transferring their services to other clubs by refusing to issue clearance to them, despite the fact that the clubs have lost the contractual rights to Keep the players for failure to pay the players their overdue as stipulated in the relevant provisions of the regulations governing the status and transfer of professional Footballers both in FIFA and league football rules.
The Union is particularly worried with the situation in Ifeanyi Ubah FC and a few others who are indebted to their players for non payment of more than six months salaries and other allowances, yet still find it convenient to refuse to clear the affected players who demand to transfer their services to other clubs.
The Players Union wish to advice all players under this situation to follow due process by first notifying their clubs through writing, of their intention to transfer their services, copy the Union and make sure they do not agree on any clearance in exchange for monies owed them. It is also important to mention here that in accordance with the relevant provisions of FIFA and leagues regulations governing the status and transfer of professional Footballer, the player new clubs is expected to communicate its interest on the player to his old club, before it can approach the relevant football authorities, after the player’s old club refuses to clear him within the time frame available for the conclusion for Registration of players, to issue a provisional clearance on the basis of such breach of the club indebtedness of minimum of 3 months, to enable the player continue his career with his new club, while the matter is arbitrated upon . Further more the issuance of provisional clearance certificate does not cancel the debts owed the player. Our players need to be wise over this, and contact the Union for further clarifications
In related development, the players union have instructed its lawyer to write the Nigeria Football Coaches Association to demand further clarifications and proofs from one of its members, the Coach of Kano Pillars FC over his purported allegations of match fixing by some players of Kano Pillars FC during the Just concluded finals of NFF /Aiteo Cup in Asaba Delta State against Rangers FC, widely circulated in the print, electronic and Social Media
There is no doubt that the coach allegations is of great consequence both on the integrity of the game and on the life and career of the players and therefore demands serious investigation to get to the root of the matter. It is therefore in the interest of the Coach to substantiate his allegations with evidence, otherwise the union will take necessary legal action to defend the rights and integrity of the players.
