Nigerian Court holds football bodies accountable for player’s death, orders compensation

In a landmark ruling, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria has found Nasarawa United Football Club, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the League Management Company (LMC), and match commissioner Christian Mbah negligent in the death of footballer Chineme Martins. The court described the circumstances leading to Martins’ death as “reprehensible” and ordered Nasarawa United to compensate his family.

According to the BBC, Martins, 23, collapsed during a Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) match at Lafia Township Stadium on March 8, 2020, and was later pronounced dead. Investigations revealed that Nasarawa United failed to conduct mandatory medical screenings, including echocardiograms, for Martins at the start of each season. Additionally, there was no functional ambulance or qualified medical personnel present at the stadium during the match.

Chineme Martins

The court said that the NFF, LMC, and match commissioner breached their duty of care by not enforcing regulations requiring adequate medical coverage during matches. This case marks the first time Nigerian football authorities have been held legally accountable for a player’s death due to negligence.

Michael Martins, the player’s brother, expressed relief at the ruling: “The court has spoken and ruled that Nasarawa United, the league management company, and the NFF did not take into consideration my brother’s safety, health, and welfare, which contributed to his death.”

The global players’ union FIFPRO supported the Martins family in pursuing the negligence claim. The court’s decision is expected to prompt Nigerian football authorities to implement stricter medical protocols to ensure player safety .