Martins’ death: Sports Ministry, NFF ban Matches without Medical Equipment and Personnel

Following the death of the player of Nassarawa United Chineme Martins during a league match over the weekend, Minister for Youth and Sports Development Mr Sunday Dare has ordered that henceforth, no game should be played without the full compliments of paramedics personnel and equipments at the venue.

AGONY! Nasarawa United players in tears after Chieme Martins was confirmed dead after Sunday’s NPFL clash vs Katsina United. Martins slumped following a collision, however, he gave up the ghost stranded as the Peugeot 406 ambulance stationed match venue did not start 😭🕯️😭😭🕯️ pic.twitter.com/PbIms2NkXP

— Shina Oludare (@sportingshina) March 8, 2020

This decision was taken after due consultations ,meetings and calls to relevant stakeholders by the Minister.

A statement from the Office of the Sports Development Minister said “Henceforth from March 14th ,2020 no league match would take place without paramedics personnel , full equipments as provided for in the NFF Club licensing Regulations.

This decision was reached to ensure prompt response in the event of any incident during matches. We don’t want any avoidable deaths in our match venues or any other sports for that matter.

We are also going to move against hooliganism at match venues. We shall enforce zero tolerance for violence at stadium as is the case in all match venues”

Under the arrangement, all match commissioners , host State FAs must inspect all medical facilities at match venues , test run to confirm that they are working before the commencement of any league game.

Meanwhile ,Dare has offered his condolences to the family of the departed player , even as he assured that adequate measures would be put in place to forestall future occurrences .”The death of the Nassarawa United player is most unfortunate. We shall not tolerate avoidable death as a result of not observing laid down rules.”

Nigeria Football Federation had also instructed that no NPFL match will go ahead until certain statutory measures are adhered to by the LMC and the 20 clubs operating in the league.
Martins slumped on teh pitch during the NPFL match between Nasarawa United and Katsina United in Lafia on Sunday.

He was attended to by medics, however reports suggest that for the lack thereof of essential equipment and a broken down Stadium ambulance, Martins could have been save.

The footballer was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, when he was eventually conveyed by another Ambulance.

Neither the LMC nor the Club side have released an official report explaining the incident that transpired in the circumstances leading to the player’s demise.

But the NFF on Monday declare a host of measures that must be adhered to henceforth in the league.

Among them, the NFF demanded the availability of:

– Medical equipment and personnel as provided in the NFF Club Licensing Regulations at match venues.

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– All Match Commissioners and the host FA are to ensure they inspect all the facilities including carrying out test runs before giving go-ahead for any match to be played.