Speaking anonymously to protect his standing within the system he’s criticising, an active Nigerian referee says the death of a colleague should be the trigger for structural change, not just another fitness test debate.
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An active Nigerian referee has called for comprehensive reform of the country’s refereeing structure, arguing that the death of Plateau State official Aweng Solomon Maram should prompt stakeholders to look beyond fitness-test requirements and examine the broader welfare, career development and working conditions of match officials.
Maram reportedly collapsed and died during a Nigeria Referees Association pre-season fitness assessment at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on August 18. His death has renewed concern about the physical demands placed on referees and the systems governing their development and welfare.
A Call For Reform, Not Just A Fitness-Test Debate
Speaking to Sports247 on condition of anonymity, the referee said the incident should become a catalyst for meaningful reform rather than a debate centred solely on the number of laps or fitness test standards. He said state referees council chairmen, training officers and secretaries should examine the challenges facing referees and raise them constructively within the NRA, arguing that the body sometimes appears to serve the interests of those in positions of authority rather than the referees it represents.
He argued that refereeing should be recognised as a profession rather than treated largely as a hobby, pointing to a lack of welfare packages, career planning and post-retirement support for officials, including some who have represented Nigeria internationally as FIFA-badged referees.
A Clearer Pathway And Merit-Based Promotion
The official proposed structured mock fitness assessments starting from the Grade One level, so referees understand the required standards earlier in their careers, alongside clearer promotion criteria based on fitness, knowledge, consistency, examination results and on-field performance. He raised concerns that personal connections sometimes appear to influence progression, and said transparent, merit based criteria would strengthen confidence in the system.
He also called for deliberate mentorship, succession planning, and a safe channel through which referees can raise concerns without fear of victimisation, stressing that his comments were meant to strengthen Nigerian refereeing rather than attack any individual.