Abia Warriors have rejuvenated medical team to respond to emergencies, club spokesman says
Response
By Sam Oditah
Umuahia, March 15, 2020 (NAN) The management of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia has taken fresh measures to rejuvenate the club’s medical team, a club’s official said on Saturday.
The club’s Media Officer, Chigozie Nwosu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia that this was for them to be able to respond to emergencies.
“We know the essence of being compliant in the area of medical facilities, equipment and personnel, especially during home matches in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL),’’ he said.
Nwosu said part of the measures was a collaboration with the Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme.
“This is for the deployment of the scheme’s ambulance to the stadium for the club’s home matches.’’
He said the arrangement would take effect after Sunday’s match between the club and visiting Adamawa United FC of Yola.
Nwosu said a functional ambulance with oxygen had been hired from the Nigerian Red Cross for Sunday’s encounter.
He said the club also entered into a collaboration with the Red Cross for their first aid people to be deployed to support the club’s medics during their home matches.
The club spokesman further said the club has for the team a full compliment of medics, comprising a masseur, physiotherapist, medical doctor and nurse.
Also, the club’s acting Technical Manager, Willy Udube, told NAN that the club had received a circular from the League Management Company (LMC) for them to upgrade their medical facilities.
Udube said the club’s management had done the needful in terms of putting the necessary medical equipment on ground for home matches at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
“The club received a circular and the Chairman, Emeka Inyama, held a meeting with the state Football Association and the medics, and everything have been put in place.
“But I must state that this is a good step because in the field of play anything can happen and this is a game of contact,” he said.
Udube said described last Sunday’s unfortunate incident in Lafia, in which a Nasarawa United FC player, Chineme Martins, slumped and died on the pitch of play, as an eye-opener.
“A lot of things were being taken for granted in Nigeria,’’ he said.
The coach also spoke on the prospects of the club to escape relegation this season, saying he inherited a good team which required to be properly managed to get the desired results.
“The team I inherited is good. What is needed is to psyche up the players and manage them properly by telling them what they need to know,” he said.
Udube assured the club’s supporters and fans that the team would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the club did not go into relegation.
He gave kudos to referees for providing a level playing field for clubs to win matches home and away, saying there had been a tremendous improvement in officiating in the league.(NAN)
USO/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)