Nigerian Football Federation guilty of negligence in footballer's death

A Nigerian football club has been found negligent in the death of one of its players during a match five years ago.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria also ruled that the match commissioner, the Nigerian Football League and Federation (NFF) were negligent in the death of Chineme Martins , according to a statement by the world football players' union FIFPRO released on Thursday.

Chineme Martins collapsed and died while playing for Nasarawa United in a league match in March 2020. He was 25 years old.

The court ruling said it was "reprehensible" that Martins was allowed to play without undergoing comprehensive medical tests and without adequate medical facilities being in place at the Lafia Township Stadium.

The court ordered the club to compensate Martins' family.

"The court ruled that Nasarawa United, the league management company and the NFF failed to take into consideration the safety, health and well-being of my brother, which contributed to his death," said Martins' brother, Michael.

"I hope that proper medical arrangements will be made for Nigerian footballers in the future so that no family has to endure the pain we have been through . "

A report published on the NFF website that year highlighted that Nasarawa United had no doctor or physiotherapist at the match and that there was no functioning ambulance at the stadium at the time of the incident.

Additionally, Martins never underwent an echocardiogram at the start of each of his three seasons with the club. FIFPRO lawyers assisted Martins' family in pursuing the negligence claim.