Monimichelle raises alarm over Nigerian pitches

Monimichelle raises alarm over Nigerian pitches

Foremost football facility expert, Ebi Egbe has warned that Nigeria risks not having any internationally approved stadium in the next few years if nothing is done to improve the existing ones.

Egbe, the Chief Executive Officer of Monimichelle Sports Construction stated this on the sidelines of the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta alleged none qualification to host CAF or FIFA matches.

Egbe said the artificial turf at the stadium does not have a valid FIFA Quality Field Test Certification.

"The danger is obvious and imminent, the day Nigeria wins a high-stakes CAF match at this stadium and the losing team files a protest, Nigeria will lose. not because of football—but because of administrative negligence," he warned.

Egbe posited that any protest backed by CAF inspectors will nullify match results, trigger sanctions and publicly humiliate Nigeria as a football nation.

"As of today, the only artificial turf football pitch in Nigeria with an active FIFA Field Test Certification is the Remo Stars Stadium hybrid synthetic pitch constructed. This is not politics. This is not propaganda. This is international football law.

"CAF always down play natural grass pitch certification for CAF/FIFA games but very soon there will be strict enforcement laws on Natural grass certification for CAF organised games.

"If administrators choose to ignore this warning, the embarrassment that follows will be self-inflicted—and history will record who failed to act when the facts were already on the table," he submitted.