FIFA confirms worldwide ban on Giwa, four others

World football governing body, FIFA, yesterday confirmed the worldwide extension of five-year sanctions imposed by the Nigerian Football Federation’s (NFF) Disciplinary Committee on May 12, 2016 on Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong for breaches of the NFF Statutes and the FIFA Code of Ethics.

FIFA in a statement based its decision on article 136ff of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, saying, “the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the five-year ban from taking part in any kind of football-related activity imposed on the five officials to have worldwide effect.

“The relevant member association, as well as CAF, has been duly notified of the chairman’s decision.” It directed journalists to seek clarification from the NFF if they had any questions relating to the substance of the decision.

The NFF first banned Giwa, who owns Giwa FC Football Club of Jos, and the four others for taking their dispute with the federation to a civil court.

Giwa claimed he was duly elected NFF president in August 2014 and asked the court to overturn the elections of September 2014, which produced Amaju Pinnick as NFF boss.

This five-year sanction was later extended by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).