The Confederation of African Football, CAF has urged the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and its other 53 Member Associations to put stamp out Player Trafficking.
CAF took a massive step in the fight against Player Trafficking after the African Football governing body collaborated with Mission 89 to conduct Safeguarding and Anti-Player Trafficking Workshops with all its 54 Member Associations and Zonal Unions.
In collaboration with Mission 89, an internationally recognized research, education, and advocacy organisation that fights the exploitation of young athletes through social and economic transformation programmes, the Member Associations of CAF were taken through key preventative measures for fighting Player Trafficking in Africa.
BSN Sports.com reports that the two-day workshops, which were held on the 27th and 29th of March shared topics such as Understanding Player Trafficking, Legal and Ethical Considerations, Safeguarding Protocols, the Role of Stakeholders, as well as Community Engagement and Awareness with the Member Associations
Speaking on the important step taken by CAF on the sensitive subject of Anti-Player Trafficking, Director of Member Associations, Sarah Mukuna said as the leading voice of African football, which is the biggest sport on the continent, CAF needed to lead such initiatives for the future of the African game.
He insists the importance of taking a strong stance against the Trafficking of young African footballers can never be over-emphasised and it is imperative that CAF spearheads such workshops to ensure that all Member Associations are well-equipped and knowledgeable about the subject and how to identify and prevent it from happening.
CAF Safeguarding programme was launched in 2022, through which Safeguarding focal points were appointed across CAF’s 54 Member Associations to oversee amongst other aspects, the safety and well-being of young African footballers.