NNL Relegation Playoff: Clubs reject the choice of Kano State as venue

By Olusola Adebayo 

The eight clubs that are billed to be part of this year's relegation playoff have rejected the choice of Kano State as the venue of the relegation playoffs in a release jointly signed and titled 

" Our Health Concern and Stand About The Relegation Playoff in Kano. " 

The teams minced no words in expressing their reservations on health concerns as Kano State has been declared the epicenter of Diphtheria since the outbreak of the disease. 

The clubs refer to and relied on the alarming figures released by Nigerian Center For Disease Control (NCDC) as the basis for their fears.

 
They established that Diphtheria is a very deadly ailment and the simple mode of contamination is their basis.

The clubs also raise financial concerns as part of the reasons they are reluctantly accepting to play the playoffs as a whole.

In part, the statement read : 

" Also part of our concern is that this arranged playoffs has gone beyond the football calender by almost three months. The financial implications to both government and private clubs are many. A lot of clubs are already focusing on preparing for a new season. 8 teams have already relegated and we don't see the need for this arrangement at this time".

The clubs also expressed safety concerns borne out of the proximity of Kano State as a reason for rejecting the Kano States.

" The choice of Kano as far as proximity is concerned and its financial undertones especially for private owners can be overwhelming. Then the safety of contingents that will be traveling. None of these club sides can afford to fly their players plus the phobia of traveling by roads amidst high insecurity alert is worrying and troubling", another part of the statement reads.

They went ahead to make demands in the form of prayers which reads thus: 

1. We will appreciate it if the NNL as a body either postpone to enable ample time to vaccinate contingents of different teams or consider another venue to host this playoff. 

2. We will not want a situation where our players and management staff will be exposed to this deadly disease. 

3. If NNL can as well cancel this arrangement outrightly for footballing reasons. 

4. We also appeal to the leadership of the Nigerian Football Federation led by Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau to consider this request. No football tournament is worth risking the health and life of any player.