Attention of the Lagos State Football Association has been drawn to a proposed Football championship tagged “OBA AKRAN CUP”.
We have received several enquiries from unsuspecting individuals and corporate organisations seeking the authenticity of the football championship by some unscrupulous individuals intending to use LSFA platform to organise football competitions across the State, particularly in the Badagry Divisional Football Association axis.
It is instructive to keep members of the public on notice that the LSFA did not receive request for any private championship in the Badagry Divisional Football axis, neither has the LSFA sanctioned nor endorsed any football competition in that regard for OBA AKRAN CUP or any tournament from any Divisional Football Association.
The Lagos State Football Association has just been elected to office barely 2 months ago, the LSFA is still in the process of planning and putting in place structures that will ensure an effective and efficient administration of Football in the State.
LSFA is determined to facilitate, sanction, and endorse all genuine and properly aligned Football initiatives in Lagos State. The Football Association will seek approval of our revered Kabiyesi’s before any championship named in their honour would be organised.
We dare say that is not the case with the OBA AKRAN CUP.
LSFA will support private initiatives that are properly organised with our consent and endorsement. Such initiatives must be carried out procedurally in accordance with the LSFA Statutes and regulations. The LSFA wishes to reiterate the principle governing football administration that “all competitions must be organised or recognised by the relevant football authority at their respective Confederations, National and Sub-National Levels” i.e., by FIFA at the global level, CAF at the Continental level, NFF at Nigeria National level and LSFA at the State level. No other level has approval, endorsement or organisational right or power.
The universal principles of sporting merits, solidarity, promotion, relegation, and subsidiarity levels, consequently, any competition which is Not authorised/endorsed by the Lagos State Football Association and Nigeria Football Federation for participation by clubs, whether affiliated or not is deem illegal.
LSFA shall stop such competition and appropriately get the organiser arrested. If the organiser is an affiliate or an official of the LSFA at any level, such person(s) shall be sanction in line with Statutes and regulations guiding such act.
In addition to the above, the LSFA make the following statement:
1. That clubs or individual participating in any unauthorised competitions, organised by unaffiliated or affiliated bodies such as OBA AKRAN CUP, will not be allowed to take part in organised/endorsed NFF and LSFA Football activities.
2. That any player or official involved in unauthorised Football competitions,
organised by unaffiliated/affiliated body, will as a consequence not be allowed to participate in any Football competition organised/endorsed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) nor play in any of the State or National football teams.
3. That the unsuspecting public, players, and parents as well as Public/Private facility managers, academic institutions and corporate organisations are enjoined to join with LSFA to rid our Football of fraudsters who parade themselves as Football competition organisers.
Akeem Rabiu-Okikioposu
Secretary
