Abia State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, has condemned the actions of a match Commissioner, Saidu Yakubu Aliyu and his officials for not allowing any journalist entry into the Enyimba stadium, during the Enyimba vs Ikorodu City game on Sunday.
The sports writers, who described the actions of the Match Commissioner as ugly dance of disrespect and shame, warned that the actions are capable of compromising the transparency of the League.
A statement signed by the Chairman of Abia State chapter of SWAN, Kingsley Okwun and the Secretary, Bethel Kalu urged the Nigerian Premier Football League, NPFL, and the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, to investigate the report, as according to the SWAN leaders, such could bring the NPFL games into disrepute if allowed to continue.
According to Abia SWAN, journalists who had come from different parts of the country to cover the Enyimba vs Ikorodu City match were not allowed to enter the stadium unless they produced identification cards.
SWAN explained that despite producing the identification cards, the journalists were still not allowed to enter the stadium, on the claims that the match was to be played behind closed doors.
They lamented that they were kept outside the stadium throughout the match despite their explanations that the ban on fans from watching the match live inside the stadium did not affect journalists.
“Journalists are not spare tyres, hence they must be respected and allowed to do their jobs.
“The Match Commissioner and all officials involved in this brazen display of unbridled power must be cautioned and re-oriented about the sport they represent”, the SWAN demanded.
They further asked the management of Enyimba FC to ensure that such ugly treatment did not repeat in their next home match.