LAGOS – The Lagos Junior League (J-League), an U-20 soccer competition, on Friday said that some of the innovations the league was to carry out had delayed the kick-off of its 2014/2015 season.
The League Secretary, Taofik Aromire, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that some innovations such as players’ age screening and training of match officials were delaying the season’s kick-off.
NAN reports that J-League players are to be screened with a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), the internationally approved system of age detection, to forestall age cheat.
Aromire added that the decision was prompted by the series of complaints the body had received on the fielding of over-aged players.
“The issue of age censorship forms is the fulcrum of the reformation agenda which the management is taking seriously.
“We are going to make sure this fourth edition begins on a sound footing devoid of such sharp practices to protect the image of the J-League,’’ he said. [eap_ad_1] He called on the managers of the 20 clubs intending to participate in the forthcoming season to present their players for bio-data capture and accreditation.
The league scribe said that such step would curtail the unwholesome practice of fielding over-aged players and switching them from one club to another.
“At the beginning of each season, we take inventory of players and ID cards are issued.
“It is possible that club managers and overzealous coaches indulge in player racketeering, which is not in tandem with the ideal of the league,” Aromire said.
He called on both coaches and players to adhere to the new policy or risk incurring the full wrath of the law, if caught.
He said that the management would soon announce the kick-off date. (NAN)
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