A Nigerian football club has been found negligent for the death of one of its players, Chineme Martins, during a match five years ago.
Martins collapsed and died while playing for Nasarawa United in a league match in March 2020. He was 25.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria also found the match commissioner, the Nigerian football league and the federation (NFF) negligent for Martins’ death, a statement by International Federation of Professional Footballers FIFPRO said on Thursday.
“The court stated that the league, the NFF and the match commissioner of the day also had a duty of care to ensure that the club complied with the relevant regulation and that they breached it,” FIFPRO said in a statement.
Nasarawa United and NFF have not commented on the latest development.
‘Reprehensible’
The court ruling, according to FIFPRO, said it was “reprehensible” that Martins was allowed to play without complete medical tests and without the provision of adequate medical facilities at Lafia Township Stadium.
“The National Industrial Court of Nigeria ruled that Nasarawa United breached their duty of care towards Martins and that the club must compensate his family,” FIFPRO said.
“The court has spoken and ruled that Nasarawa United, the league management company and the NFF did not take into consideration my brother’s safety, health and welfare, which contributed to his death,” Martins’ brother Michael told FIFPRO.
“I hope that the appropriate medical provisions are put in place for Nigeria’s footballers going forward so that no family has to endure the pain we have suffered.”
A report published on the NFF website that year highlighted that Nasarawa United had neither a medical doctor nor a physiotherapist at the game and that there was no functional ambulance at the stadium at the time of the incident.
Olanrewaju suddenly collapsed mid-fight, prompting the referee to immediately call for medical assistance.
The report further says Martins never underwent an echocardiogram at the start of each of his three seasons with the club.
