Nigerian referee dies during screening exercise

 Tragedy hit the Nigeria football federation on Wednesday following the death of referee Osita Nwadiashi at the ongoing physical screening exercise of match officials organised by the Nigeria referees association.

Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation’s referees committee and executive committee member of the NFF Ahmed Muazu told Brila FM that the death of the Nwadiashi occurred in the early hours of Wednesday as they were undergoing routine physical exercise.

Muazu explained that the deceased was embarking on a lap run and eventually slump, medical attention was quickly administered on spot and then he was quickly rushed to the hospital. All effort to resuscitate him failed as he was pronounced dead later on.

“He couldn’t complete the 12 laps necessary for the exercise and at a stage he slumped and passed out but the doctors here on site did all they could to revive him and when they couldn’t, they decided to rush him to the hospital only to be told later that he had died”

The screening exercise is in line with directives from World’s football governing body,FIFA to make sure that referees are physically fit at all times. Meanwhile, Head of Medical Unit of the referees committee, Ephraim Chukwuemeka says all necessary medical tests were carried out on the deceased and he passed them all, adding that they did everything medically possible to save the life of Osita all but to no avail.

He added that he is saddened by the demise and sends his condolence message to the family of the