News
FLAM 2025 Advocates Deeper Legal Education to Strengthen Football Governance
…Adekunle Ajasin University Defeats UNILAG to Win Abuja Moot
Joel Ajayi
The 2025 Football Law Annual Moot (FLAM) has amplified calls for greater investment in legal education within the football ecosystem, particularly among clubs, managers, and academy owners. The event brought together leading sports lawyers from around the world to examine the legal challenges facing the industry, with a special focus on contractual stability in football.
Organised by legal practitioner Pius C. Ndubuokwu, the conference—held under the theme “The Role of International Arbitral Tribunals in Maintaining Contractual Stability in Football”—placed a spotlight on the contractual vulnerabilities experienced by Nigerian players abroad.
Speaking at the conference, Ndubuokwu revealed staggering statistics on player transfers and rights abuses.
“In the last 10 years, Nigeria has transferred about 17,200 players abroad. Of these, more than 30% have faced contractual violations. Shockingly, up to 80–90% of them are unaware their contracts were breached,” he said.
He stressed that FLAM 2025 serves as a foundation for educating players on their rights, noting that poor legal awareness affects not just athletes but the entire football economy.
“When players cannot protect their rights, it affects everyone—clubs, lawyers, agents. This programme addresses the core of contractual stability because contracts are the foundation of football. Clubs and academies invest heavily in scouting but often neglect the legal structures that are just as critical,” he added.
Ricardo de Buen, a long-standing arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) with over three decades of experience in labour and sports law, reinforced Ndubuokwu’s concerns.
He noted that many footballers lack knowledge of their rights and have limited access to legal support in their home countries.
“Events like this will improve the capacity of local lawyers, enabling them to better support athletes and even clubs involved in international disputes. Strengthening legal defence for players will ultimately benefit the entire sector,” he said.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Football Law Annual Moot featured 44 universities from seven countries, progressing through three rigorous phases: a written brief competition, virtual oral rounds, and the grand finale.
In a repeat of last year’s outcome, Adekunle Ajasin University and the University of Lagos—who met in the 2024 semi-finals—once again emerged as the top two teams in the 2025 edition.
Both teams impressed the panel of arbitrators led by Georgi Gradev with their delivery, articulation, and command of sports law. Adekunle Ajasin University clinched the championship, earning a $1,500 cash prize, while the University of Lagos finished as runners-up with $1,000.
The 2025 edition of FLAM underscored the pressing need for systemic reforms in football administration, starting with stronger legal frameworks and improved education for players, clubs, and practitioners across the continent.
Foreign news
Algeria’s Glorious Revolution: Embassy Marks 72nd Anniversary in Abuja
Joel Ajayi
The Embassy of Algeria in Nigeria has commemorated the 72nd anniversary of the country’s Glorious Revolution of November 1, 1954, with a reception in Abuja, highlighting Algeria’s liberation struggle and strengthening diplomatic relations with Nigeria.
The event, held on November 9, 2026, at Continental Suites Hotel, attracted prominent personalities, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas, members of the Federal Government, senior government officials, heads of diplomatic missions and other friends of Algeria.
Speaking at the reception, Algeria’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Hocine Mezoued, welcomed guests and paid tribute to the country’s freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives during the struggle for independence.
He described the November 1, 1954 revolution as the foundation of modern Algeria, noting that the sacrifices of the nation’s martyrs made it possible for the country to reclaim its sovereignty.
On Algeria’s development agenda, Mezoued said President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s administration had continued to pursue economic reforms, diversification and national development under its New Algeria vision.
He noted that the country was recording progress in non-hydrocarbon exports, while improvements in the business environment had boosted investor confidence and attracted significant foreign investments.
On foreign policy, the ambassador reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to non-interference, respect for national sovereignty, peaceful conflict resolution and the right of peoples to self-determination.
Addressing security challenges in the Sahel, he stressed that lasting peace could not be achieved through military measures alone, insisting that economic development, inclusive dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes remained essential.
Turning to Nigeria-Algeria relations, Mezoued described the partnership as one founded on shared values and the commitment of both countries’ leaders to advancing African development.
He identified the Trans-Saharan Highway, Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and Trans-Saharan Fibre Optic Backbone as major strategic projects receiving attention from both countries.
The ambassador also disclosed that Algeria had continued to provide scholarships to Nigerian students to strengthen human capital development and capacity building.
He further announced that Air Algérie expanded its Nigerian operations on October 26, 2026, with the introduction of two weekly flights to Lagos, expressing confidence that the service would boost trade and tourism.
Looking ahead, Mezoued said 2027 would offer fresh opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly through the fifth Joint High Bi-National Commission scheduled to hold in Abuja.
He expressed optimism that the meeting would provide an opportunity to assess existing partnerships, identify new areas of cooperation and move Nigeria-Algeria relations towards a more practical and results-driven phase.
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