KANO — The Chairman of the Kano State Rugby Association, Martins Crawford, has urged the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, to reinstate the dissolved Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) board.
Crawford made the call on Wednesday in Kano at a news conference, stressing that this would help to reverse the suspension of NRFF by Rugby Africa.
He claimed that the dissolution of the federation’s board infringed on the provisions of the Constitution of the federation.
Crawford said the dissolution prompted the African governing body to suspend Nigeria from participating in all its activities.
“The suspension has led to unaccountable losses to the Nigerian sports sector and with this Nigeria will not compete in the Rugby World Cup qualifiers slated for Burkina Faso next month.
“Rugby Africa is responsible for all the bills from taxi fares to air tickets, hotel bills and other logistics,” he added.
The chairman explained that the preparation by the Nigerian squad for the Rugby World Cup qualifiers were already in top gear before the abrupt dissolution of the board.
Crawford further said Nigerian-born rugby players plying their trade in South Africa, Italy and England had already enlisted to feature for Nigeria at their own expense as service to their fatherland.
He said the development would be detrimental to the morale of the players if not reversed.
“The suspension of Nigeria by the governing body will depreciate our global and continental rating, a feat that may not be hurriedly regained by the country,
“We have to also consider the time-frame, huge talent and resources that will be required to launch Nigeria back to its current status,” the association chairman added.
He appealed to the sports minister and other stakeholders to reverse the decision.
“This will help to stop further damage that may be caused by the hammer of the world rugby governing body in the interest of sports development.”
The chairman also cautioned that the world rugby governing body frowns at all forms of government inference in the running of the game.
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