NFF Faults CAF over Edo Queens’ Controversial WAFU-B Ruling, Heads to Appeal

Felix Omoh-Asun reports from Benin City: The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has strongly contested the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision that invalidated penalty shootouts between the Edo Queens and Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies in the WAFU-B championship final. The match, held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, ended 2-2 after regular time before the referee instructed both teams to take penalties.

Edo Queens emerged victorious with a 4-1 scoreline and were crowned WAFU-B champions, securing the zone’s place in the CAF Women’s Champions League. Ampem Darkoa challenged the outcome, contending that the rules stipulate a two 15-minute extra-time period before progressing to penalties. CAF accepted the appeal and directed the final to resume from extra time, subsequently voiding the match due to what it alleged was the referee’s non-compliance with established guidelines.

The petition, signed by the NFF’s Acting General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Edem Ikpeme, now demands that CAF reassess the imposed remedy following an officiating mistake in the WAFU-B final. The NFF maintains that while the regulations do call for extra time, Edo Queens did not contribute to or support its removal. The federation asserts that Edo Queens neither chose nor requested the bypassing of extra time, instead, the Nigerian players simply adhered to the referee’s directives.

The NFF’s legal strategy hinges on the disconnect between spotting an irregularity and deciding the appropriate response, insisting that any corrective action must be clearly supported by regulations and proportionate to the breach identified. Consequently, the federation urges the Appeals Committee to reverse the decision, affirming that Edo Queens should retain the competitive advantage earned from a match concluded under the guidance of the assigned officials.