Players and officials of all 20 Nigeria Professional Football League clubs will wear black armbands in tribute to Chineme Martins during Matchday 24 fixtures on Sunday the League Management Company has announced.
Nasarawa defender Martins, 23, slumped and died during his side’s match with Katsina United at the Lafia Township Stadium last Sunday.
In addition to donning black armbands, a minute silence will also be observed before kickoff at all venues while play will be interrupted in the 20th-minute for a one-minute applause in all match venues.
#NPFL20 UPDATE FOR MATCHDAY 24
🕯️ CHINEME MARTINS 🕯️
– Players & officials of all 20 clubs to wear black armbands
– One-minute silence to be observed before kickoff at all venues
– One-minute applause to be observed at 20th minute of every game pic.twitter.com/JleFKkMoe8— League Management NG (@LMCNPFL) March 14, 2020
Martins had donned the number 20 jersey for Nasarawa United prior to his unfortunate passing last week.
The manner of Martins’ death shocked and angered many Nigerians who were horrified by the absence of qualified medical personnel to attend to the player after he slumped and the delay in getting him to hospital after the ambulance in the stadium failed to start.
Nasarawa United were later fined N6m and given a suspended six-point deduction by the LMC because of the incident.
The ministry of sports and the Nigeria Football Federation also decreed that no league matches will hold in match centres where the full complement of medical personnel and functional ambulance are absent.
On Friday, the NFF constituted a committee to investigate the circumstances of Martins’ death and recommend measures to forestall a repeat.
