In a stunning and unprecedented move, the Nigeria Football Federation’s Players Status and Arbitration Committee (NFF PSAC) has reversed its own judgment in the high-profile contractual dispute between Rivers United FC and former player Deputy Echeta—six months after issuing a definitive ruling, Sports247 reports.

The controversial reversal, handed down on March 1, 2025, but only made public at the end of April, has left legal experts and football stakeholders baffled.

It directly contradicts PSAC’s earlier decision from December 2, 2024, which ruled in favor of Echeta, citing multiple breaches of FIFA regulations by Rivers United.

The Original Judgment: A Clear-Cut Case

In its initial ruling, the PSAC made the following key findings:

1. Unlawful Suspension: Rivers United’s indefinite suspension of Echeta was declared illegal, violating FIFA’s cap of 30 days for player suspensions pending investigations.

2. Wage Breach: The club was found guilty of failing to pay the player for over four months—qualifying under Article 14bis of FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) as just cause for unilateral contract termination.

3. Contractual Compensation: While Echeta was entitled to seek compensation under Article 17bis of the RSTP for unlawful termination, he waived that right.

4. Excessive Transfer Fee: The club demanded N15 million to loan Echeta to Sunshine Stars, despite the latter offering N1 million—a move deemed a deliberate effort to block his career progression.

5. Provisional Clearance: PSAC issued Echeta clearance to sign with any club of his choice immediately.

6. Admonishment: Rivers United was chastised for bad faith and actions that jeopardized Echeta’s career and economic freedom.

Despite the ruling, Echeta remained without a club as Sunshine Stars delayed signing him until the transfer window opened. In January 2025, a lifeline came from a foreign club offering a short-term contract.

However, when Echeta submitted his PSAC-issued clearance to register abroad, the NFF’s Transfer Matching System (TMS) manager refused to issue his International Transfer Certificate (ITC), contrary to standard protocol.

Only through intervention under revised FIFA guidelines was the player eventually registered, rendering the provisional clearance practically redundant.

The Shocking Reversal

In a twist that many are calling a “procedural disgrace,” the NFF PSAC quietly reconvened the case on March 1, 2025—without notifying or inviting Echeta to the hearing. Instead, only Rivers United was granted audience, and the committee took the unprecedented step of overturning its previous decision.

This move flies in the face of standard arbitration procedure. PSAC had initially acknowledged that only a higher legal authority—such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) could review or overturn ithe ruling.

Moreover, procedural time limits for lodging appeals had already lapsed by the time the case was reopened.

The New Ruling: A Legal Contradiction

The committee’s new ruling includes the following points:

1. Revocation of Clearance: Citing Article 9 of the RSTP, PSAC rescinded the provisional clearance, arguing it was misused to facilitate an international transfer without the club’s consent.

2. Mandatory Reconciliation: Echeta was instructed to return to Rivers United to negotiate a mutual contract termination so the club could “benefit from his economic rights.”

3. Financial Penalties: The player was fined N5 million for “gross misconduct and misrepresentation,” along with an additional N1 million payable to the NFF for allegedly breaching trust.

Confusion Breaks the Bone

Legal experts point to the existence of two conflicting rulings of equal legal weight as a glaring flaw that now complicates enforcement and undermines the integrity of the arbitration body.

More troubling is that the latest judgment was issued in the absence of one party, a breach of basic principles of fair hearing.

A Precedent of Chaos

The fallout from this case could be seismic for Nigerian football’s dispute resolution framework.

By overturning its own decision without proper procedure or jurisdiction, the PSAC may have set a dangerous precedent, where settled cases could be re-opened without cause or due process.

“This is not just a misstep, it’s a collapse of credibility,” said a legal analyst who asked not to be named. “You cannot act as judge and appellate court on the same matter. It’s unheard of.”

The Unanswered Question

As stakeholders try to make sense of this stunning reversal, one critical question lingers:

What changed between December 2024 and March 2025 to prompt this legal about-face?

Was there external pressure? Political influence? Or internal interference from powerful actors within the football ecosystem?

Whatever the cause, the PSAC’s credibility now hangs in the balance. Once seen as a bastion of fairness, the committee’s integrity is now under intense scrutiny, and unless this decision is reviewed.

Nigerian football risks descending into an era where justice is neither predictable nor guaranteed.

Sports247.com