The Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL) Tuesday announced plans to make clubs that are affiliated to the league send their players for compulsory medical assessment from next season.
Chairman of the NNWL, Ahmed Kawu, told reporters at a forum called to review the activities of the body, that the scheme would promote the well being of all players and ensure they are physically fit and protected from life-threatening injuries.
Kawu also presented to the media Dr Olajide Adebola, a sports medicine expert, who is to work in a voluntary capacity as medical officer to be attached the NNWL.
Dr Adebola is a member of FIFA medical network and is the doctor of the national U-23 football team. He had also worked with the National Sports Federations at the 9th All Africa Games at Algiers 2007 as well as the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.
Adebola will also conduct regular seminars for the clubs on health related subjects.
Kawu, who described the appointment of the health worker as an important partnership, noted that the decision to adopt a set of new health guidelines steamed from the complaints by Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi that injuries harboured by local based players had at later time hampered the performance of the national team, whenever such injuries relapsed.
Adebola, who unfolded his blueprint for the Nationwide League, said he would promote the 11+ fitness which is enshrined in FIFA global health programme.
The 11+ is a complete warm-up programme to reduce injuries among football players aged 14 years and older.
In addition, he tasked clubs to pay attention to matters such as specific players’ needs, adequate nutrition, environmental factors and Pre Competition Medical Assessment (PCMA) in order to reduce incidents of players’ death after training and during matches.
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