We ’ll be fair to all teams – Referee Council Chair
By Femi Atolagbe
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The Chairman of Ondo State Referee Council , Comrade Fabidun Fidelis has assured all the participating teams in this year Federation Cup in the state of unbiased officiating.
Fabidun who gave the assurance while fielding questions from Sporting Hope in Akure, said Referee have what they are operate on, which is the law of the game.
He asserted that Referees are going to implement the law of the game to the letter, without giving any preferential treatment to any team. “All the teams are going to be treated equally”,he stated.
Recalled that last week , Ondo State Football Association released the fixture of 2018/19 Federation Cup where the two state’s own teams Sunshine Stars pitched against her academy.
Chairman Organising Committee Ondo State Football Association, Mr Fadoju Moses while speaking on the fixture, explained some of the rules that guide the FA cup. Which he said, “it’s straight to penalty kick after 90minute deadlock , no extra time, and winner must emerge in every game . Except otherwise decided due to natural disaster and if a match is not concluded due to unforseen circumstances only then could match be replayed and continued from where it stopped”.
Fadoju added “that the fixtures was done openly and in transparency before all the coaches without any secret , each coaches picked and they found themselves where they were”.
He therefore advised participating teams to go and prepare well ahead of the competition, saying the FA will be neutral and make sure the competition is decently organised .
” According to him, a level playing ground will be created for all the teams, all we want for State is the best two teams that will represent the us at the national level.”
EES Snipers’ coach Mr Elvis Ogbebor while reacting to the fixtures said the fixtures was good one saying paring Sunshine Stars with it Academy’s team and the other last year runner up Akure city with L&B FC was a draw no one expected .
As Coach I appreciate the openness of the FA for making the draw open to everybody.
Elvis said, “this is the first time Sunshine Stars is going to play a match before the quarter final,normally they are always on standby for the quarter final match”.
“In another twist he said as good as the fixtures was, I would have love a situation where Sunshine being a premiership team will be allowed to be on standby , making way for Rising Stars to play other team to determine who will play the seeded team (Sunshine Stars)”.
Adeleke Dada FC coach , Mr Stephen Earnest in his reaction , he said the draw was a sign of good preparation for this year federation Cup.
“In fact I don’t expect we can have that kind of open, unbiased draw around here , I’m satisfy with the draw , what we are now praying for is a good officiating”, he said.
