• Says satellite cable TV, betting companies ‘killing’ Nigerian football
The National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF) says it has put machinery in motion to recover the sum of $10 billion from the English Football Association and others over what it terms a ‘grand conspiracy’ with international cable televisions, the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to defraud the Nigerian economy.
In particular, NANF President, Harrison Jala said yesterday in Lagos that the English FA as sole owners of the English Premier League and football betting products in which Nigerians are end-users, entered contracts that are ‘dubiously’ claused, cashing on the ignorance and greed of the relevant Nigerian authorities’ officials to defraud the nation’s economy.
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Speaking at a press conference, Jala said that NANF came up with the decision after due consultation with relevant authorities in Nigeria, including the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, the Nigeria Lottery Commission and the Nigeria Lottery Trust Fund over the killing of Nigerian domestic football as a product, service and industry by cable satellite television and football betting companies using foreign league games, particularly the English Premier League games.
He revealed that NANF had briefed its external solicitors, Johnson & Steller Solicitors of Hanover Square, Mayfair London, to launch a judicial process to recover the sum of $10 billion as outstanding royalties from 2008-2018 for adverse effect of the invasion of English Premier League and Football betting using the Premier League games.
“And a declaration that all future contracts that has to do with English football on cable satellite television and football in Nigeria must be claused accordingly to set aside certain percentage as royalties for domestic football development in Nigeria.
“The NANF is suing the following organisations in the upcoming matter: The Football Association of England, the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, the Nigeria Lottery Regulatory Commission, the Nigeria Lottery Trust Fund, Satellite Cables TV Stations in Nigeria and Football Betting companies in Nigeria,” Jala stated.
Among those present at the event yesterday were Ikechukwu Emwezor, a former player with Enugu Rangers, ACB and Super Stores, Awala Jombo, solicitor to NANF, Barrister Eshalomi and former Abiola Babes General Manager and presidential aspirant for NFF election in 2019, Mohammed Edewor.
Source: G Sport
