Nigeria Premier Football League has stated that there will be stiff sanctions for clubs that fail to participate in the youth league which will commence in the first week of February, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The chairman of the NPFL, Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye after a meeting with the chairman of the youth league, Pastor Emeka Inyama disclosed that the league is compulsory for all the 20 NPFL clubs.
“Participation in this first edition of the Youth League is compulsory for all 20 NPFL Clubs and there will be serious sanctions for any club that for whatever reason failed to present their Youth team for the competition”, warned the League boss.
Explaining further, Elegbeleye noted that “the Youth League is the future of every senior league as it ensures that younger players are groomed to replace those who would be retired on account of age and injuries or who find employment outside the country”.
Elegbeleye highlighted the benefits of club's having a youth team has portends a better future for the clubs.
Inyama disclosed that the committee is ready for the tournament and will ensure the documentation exercise goes well.
He revealed that the venue for the South-South screening has been moved from Porthacourt to Asaba.
The zonal qualifiers of the youth league starts from February 1-3 with teams arriving their zonal grounds on January 30 while the screening for documentation holds January 31.
Uche Dozie