Volleyball Premier League: NVBF official urges referees to be fair in officiating matches

The Secretary-General of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Adamu Maikano, on Tuesday urged technical officials at the ongoing 2018 Volleyball Premier League Final Round in Abuja to be fair in officiating matches.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the league’s final eight round which is holding at the Abuja National Stadium began on Sunday and will end on November 10.
Maikano told NAN that his call was necessary because referees and other technical officials have always caused conflict in matches with their actions, either deliberate or inadvertent.
He said: “We have appealed to referees to be serious, dedicated and determined with their work so that players or coaches would not complain that they did not award them a goal.
“If the technical officials are also doing the needful in carrying out their duties, I think we will not have any problem in this competition.
“We want a free and fair competition so that we will have a good record at the end of the league.”
Maikano also said NVBF have put in place measures to ensure there were financial rewards for the clubs participating in the league at the end of the day.
He said: “We have cash prizes for winners in both the male and female competitions. The club in first place will receive N350,000, the second-placed side will receive N250,000, while the third-placed side will get N150,000.
“The other clubs outside the best three will receive N50,000 each, while there will be a trophy for the overall winners.”
NAN reports that that only 13 of the expected 16 clubs have arrived in Abuja for the league’s final round.
Six of the clubs are participating in the competition’s male category, namely Nigerian Customs Service, Nigeria Police, Civil Defence, Nigeria Immigration Service, Kano Pillars and Plateau United.
The rest seven are participating in the competition’s female category, namely Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Army, Delta Force, Civil Defence, Nigerian Immigration Service, Benue Queens and Kaduna Kada Emeralds.
He said: “Two clubs did not come in the male category, Sunshine Football Club and Team Lagos, while only Team Lagos did not come for the competition in the female category.
“Their reasons for not coming are best known to them, but I’m sure they know the penalties for not participating in the last round of the league.”