Sporting Lagos head coach Jeffrey Buter has been summoned before the Nigeria Premier Football League disciplinary panel after criticising match officiating following his side’s goalless draw with Ikorodu City.
Buter is expected to appear before the panel this week after questioning the standard of refereeing in the NPFL and accusing match officials of contributing to the league’s problems.
Speaking after the Lagos derby, the Sporting Lagos coach rejected suggestions that his public comments were bringing the league into disrepute and instead turned the criticism towards the officials.
“They say I am bringing the league into disrepute. The referees are bringing the league to disrepute and not me. If they are not going to fix it, the league is not going anywhere,” he said.
Buter also claimed that Sporting Lagos had suffered from poor officiating in consecutive matches, despite disciplinary warnings already having been issued to him.
His latest comments have now prompted the NPFL to invite him before its disciplinary authorities, where the coach could face sanctions depending on the outcome of the hearing.
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The league has warned coaches and club officials against public statements it believes could undermine the credibility of match officials or bring the competition into disrepute.
According to the NPFL, concerns over officiating should be addressed through the appropriate administrative channels rather than through public criticism.
Buter’s hearing will therefore determine whether his remarks constitute a disciplinary offence and whether further action will be taken against him.
Sporting Lagos, meanwhile, remain unbeaten in the league as they await the date of their coach’s appearance before the panel.
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The case has also added another layer to the ongoing debate around officiating in the NPFL, with Buter’s comments putting the relationship between coaches, referees and the league’s disciplinary authorities under renewed scrutiny.
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