No NSL cover: Babaga

By BENJAMIN KOITAKA
ORGANISERS of the Kumul Petroleum National Soccer League (NSL) have revealed that there is no insurance cover for the players, officials and clubs.
Competition manager Leslie Babaga admitted last week that setting up insurance cover for NSL personnel was important, however, there was no such initiative in place.
Babaga and chairman Benny Popoitai were responding to a query on what the NSL board had done following the death of goalkeeper Mikes Gewa, who succumbed to an injury sustained during Laiwaden’s clash with Morobe Wawens in March.
“Sadly, we do not have insurance for our players and this issue will likely to remain for the next season,” said Babaga, pictured, adding that it was an expensive exercise.
“Player insurance is core to running such competition but on the other hand both parties (clubs and NSL) had failed to make this happen.
“The NSL board and clubs had failed in consider that.”
Babaga said while it was the aim of the Papua New Guinea Football Association to make the soccer inclusive in all the four regions of the country, he noted the struggle in setting up such an initiative.
“Doing an insurance cover for 50-plus players is very expensive and time consuming,” he said.
“There were issues this season and we regret that.
“But in order for us to go ahead, every registered clubs must send in their details and master sheets early.
“So it may enable us to decide whether we can register (for insurance) or not.
“We admit there is no insurance because we started late due to club sponsors and managers not cooperating by meeting the requirements on time.
“This is incompetence on the managers’ part.
“If the existing clubs cannot set the required particulars, the blame should be shared.”
Popoitai said they were unsure whether the issue would be resolved next season.
He said he could not confirm the whether there would be insurance cover but added that his executives were working on it for the betterment of the competition.