The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Anambra Chapter had appealed to the Anambra Sports Development Commission and the State Football Association (ANSFA) to end their feud in the interest of football in Anambra State.
SWAN made the call in a Statement in Awka while reacting to Face-off between the two bodies.
In her letter signed by acting Secretary, Raph Nweke, ANSFA had banned one Chijioke Onyedika, a staff of Anambra State Sports Development Commission over alleged anti football activities for a period of five years.
In their letter, the Commission overruled the ban arguing that ANSFA lacked the locus.
The Commission said Onyedika was only carrying his duty as a member of the organizing Committee overseeing the Traders Sports Competition, which was assigned to him by the government as its staff and did not belong to the board of the ANSFA.
SWAN in the 8-point Statement signed by Chimezie Anaso and Ikenna Nwokedi Chairman and Secretary respectively called for immediate and total ceasefire by all parties.
The association frowned at the incendiary and inflammatory comments made directly by the bodies and their proxies, noting that the face-off was not healthy for progress of sports especially football in the State.
“SWAN expresses its willingness to mediate in the impasse with a view to finding amicable resolution of the vexed issues
“SWAN appeals for an amicable and harmonious administrative environment for progressive development of sports,” the letter noted.
Anambra SWAN maintained her willingness to mediate in the impasse with a view to finding amicable resolution of the issues
“We are reacting, not only because we were copiously copied in the letters by both the Government Institution and the Football Association but as critical stakeholders in the Anambra sports sector,” it noted.
Ikemefuna Asika reporting from Awka.
