By Morolani Oluwafemi

I remember witnessing the Seals Cup ’26 final live between Philosophy and Dentistry. Because I wanted to report it, I timed the match from the start. Without prior knowledge of how long each half was supposed to last, I used a stopwatch while noting the minutes when significant events happened. What stood out, however, was the inconsistency in the duration of both halves, without the added time. Because I was new to the system at the University of Ibadan, I did not give it much thought, as I assumed it was an oversight on my end.

Recently, during a Sigma Club press conference as part of the preparation for the Sigma Sports Festival, which is currently ongoing, a question was raised that forced me to ruminate on that very experience. An individual who was apparently a crew member of one of the participating football clubs in the tournament asked a question. 

After being told that each half would last thirty minutes in response to his question, he proceeded to establish that he had participated in some football tournaments within the university where there were discrepancies in the actual duration of the match and the official time stated.

“Is thirty minutes going to be thirty minutes or will we play a first half of thirty minutes and a second half of twenty-five, twenty-three minutes…?”

Of course, the Loyalists told him that everything would be “Sigma-standard” and that he need not worry, but that was not before Loyalist Toheeb also affirmed that he had been a victim of such discrepancies and that he understood his fears.

Unfortunately, it is very easy to look past these things because of the situations we find ourselves in, but we cannot keep letting oversights like this fall under the radar because they go a long way towards affecting our game. Football is a timed game, unlike some other sports like golf, tennis, table tennis and so on. This means that if we are to play the game, we should follow the rules as they are.

It is not feasible to play forty-five minutes due to the circumstances surrounding studentship and the unavailability of enough facilities to satisfy everyone who actually wants to participate in the game. Yet, this does not take away the need for consistency in officiating or credibility in match officiating. To the best of my knowledge, this has gone on for quite a while now and will most likely continue if nothing is done to curtail it.

Beyond the credibility and the standard rules that apply to the game of football, this erratic timing of the game can affect the outcome of a match. Hypothetically speaking, it can affect the outcome of a game. There is a saying prominent among football fans and lovers that “anything can happen,” and another says, “it is not over until the final whistle.” Now, when the time is cut short by five minutes or even less, that creates the possibility that a team that drew the game could have won it, or that a team that lost could have pulled off a comeback. All these possibilities are within the jurisdiction of the game.

The effects extend far beyond one result too. They can affect a team’s entire tournament performance, especially in the case of a tournament. Speaking with a student who is very conversant with the pitch and the happenings on it, he said, “You come to play with some positive energy and if such things happen, it drains your energy, reduces your motivation. In fact, it makes the game tiring.”

So, a player comes to play a match where he feels the result could have been different if the officiating had been more credible, and then continues in such a tournament. You expect him to put in the same level of motivation as he had earlier? It is not just fair on their part. It lowers their morale and can result in aggression, even towards opponents and officials.

How Long Has It Been Happening?

There is no clear record of when it started, so the occurrence must have been in existence for quite a number of years now and may likely continue. Those who are conversant with the game are obviously no longer piqued or dumbstruck by such experiences. This suggests that it has happened enough times for them to become accustomed to the phenomenon.

Still on the issue, my correspondent said, “From what I can say, in this UI, anyone playing football who participates in the sport well must have been a victim of such [a] circumstance.”

To be continued…