By SEGUN GIWA

Gbenga Elegbeleye, Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), says minimum salary a club should pay players will be reviewed after the 2024/2025 campaign.

Elegbeleye disclosed this during a roundtable discourse with newsmen in Akure on Tuesday.

He stressed that the league would only attractive investors through transparency, credibility and professional refereeing.

“From the beginning of next season, we are going to do an upward review of players’ salaries,” he said.

According to the former Director General of National Sports Commission (NSC), the league management would continue its zero tolerance for hooliganism and any kind of violence at match venues.

Elegbeleye hinted that the NPFL had started with communication gadgets, which he said was the first step before introducing Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the league.

He added that plans were ongoing to train young referees on how to use (VAR), noting that all Nigerian referees are higher institution graduates.

He said that the league organisers will not compromise standard, saying they will ensure that the rules are adhered to without favouritism.

The former House of Representatives member emphasised the need for the principle of checks and balances to grow the League.

“We have started with the reduction of three points from any erring team and financial punishment to ensure that the visiting teams are not intimidated.

“Since we started reducing three points, it is the home teams that are now protecting away teams.

“The home team must win syndrome has reduced drastically, on match day-one of the current season, we recorded no fewer than four away wins.

“We must insist on the rules and not compromise on standards to get it right. There are lots of investors who are ready to partner us for the growth of the league,” he said. (NAN)