Football / Sports

Blame FIFA, not NFF, for Falconets ordeal in Istanbul

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), yesterday, absolved itself and the Federal Government from blame over the ordeal suffered by the women U-20 national team, Falconets, who were forced to sleep on the bare floor of Istanbul Airport after missing their connecting flight from Turkey to Abuja.

The Falconets, who were eliminated from the ongoing FIFA U-20 Women World Cup by The Netherlands at the weekend, were supposed to return to Nigeria on a Turkish Airline flight from Costa Rica on Monday.

The players’ ordeal came to the fore, yesterday when pictures of the girls lying on benches and on the floor at the Istanbul Airport flooded social media. Earlier, sources close to the team had accused the NFF of failing to provide basic kits with the Falconets needed for the competition, saying the players were given only three sets of green home wear and two sets of white away wear for a competition that would last three weeks.

He said this forced the players to wash their jerseys by hand after every game and also stopped them from exchanging jerseys with their opponents after each game.

The source added that the girls did not get the official footwear and were also forced to buy their own footwear despite the fact that the Federation has an existing kitting deal with an international sportswear manufacturing outfit. Reacting to the incident, yesterday, the NFF in a statement by its Media Director, Ademola Olajire, explained that a number of factors, including the inability to secure transit visas for players and officials of the team at the Istanbul Airport, led to the team having to stay 24 hours at the airport in Turkey.

“The NFF did not book the team’s tickets from Costa Rica; FIFA did. FIFA also did not envisage the hitches that saw the team delayed for more than three hours in Bogota, and another one hour in Panama. By the time the team got to Istanbul, the flight to Abuja had left. “Our officials pleaded for compassionate transit visas so as to …

Football / Sports

NFF backs Super Eagles to revitalise World Cup campaign

The Nigeria Football Federation believes the much-adored Nigerian Spirit will come to the fore and ginger the Super Eagles to solidify their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying campaign when they take on the Les Fauves of Central African Republic in Douala on Sunday.

The President of the NFF and FIFA Council Member, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, said this on Thursday night.

Pinnick said the Eagles have the character to bounce back from the shock home defeat by the Central Africans and still fly very high above other contenders in Group C of the African race by taking the maximum points in Douala on Sunday.

He said: “This result has been a huge shock, especially after the NFF provided everything necessary to make the team comfortable and focused on the task at hand, even going the extra mile in a number of areas. The Federation wishes to appreciate the Federal Government, the Lagos State Government and our partners and sponsors for their support to enable us provide the necessary comfort and conducive environment for the team to succeed.

This is a setback, which can be quickly reversed, and the Nigerian Spirit is what we will take to Cameroon.

“The NFF is backing the team to retain a strong hold on the group and qualify to the knockout phase.

“At the halfway mark of this phase, our Super Eagles still top the group.

“I am in touch with even the players that are injured like Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo and Alex Iwobi.

“They are all very sad with the result.

“The players who featured in today’s match are all very sober and sad.

“They know what is important now is their reaction to the situation when they take to the pitch in Douala on Sunday.

“We believe they will deliver against the same team.”

Pinnick said the NFF was taking responsibility for the defeat and urged Nigerians from far and near to get behind the team at this period.

He said: “Everyone is stunned, but we do not have to be emotional …

Football / Sports

Sack Of Pinnick: Nigeria Risks FIFA Ban – Keyamo

The Solicitor to the Nigeria Football Federation, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has declared that Nigeria risks FIFA ban should his clients be sacked from office.
Keyamo spoke in response to a statement by the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, directing his client, Amaju Pinnick, and members of the NFF Board under him to vacate office.
He said the directive that Ambassador Chris Giwa and his board members should take office does not have any locus standi.
Dalung had in a statement on Monday said the NFF should respect the order of the Supreme Court.
He said this was based on the position of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
But Keyamo said in response to the development: “The attention of our clients have been drawn to a statement purportedly issued at the behest of the Minister of Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung directing the NFF to comply with certain court orders effecting a change of leadership in the NFF.
“Our clients wish to alert the general public and the authorities in Nigeria that the so-called directive by the Minister of Sports is null, void and of no effect for the following reasons.
“Whilst our clients respect the sanctity of court orders, unfortunately the said court orders are not binding on FIFA, the World Football Governing Body. The NFF is an affiliate of FIFA. It should be noted that FIFA has consistently maintained that this same matter has been taken to the highest Court of Sports Arbitration in Switzerland by these same individuals and they have lost. FIFA is only bound by the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sports AND DOES NOT ENTERTAIN OR TOLERATE decisions by local courts in footballing nations worldwide. Hence, FIFA has since upheld the decision of the Court of Arbitration on this matter and recognized the NFF Board led by Amaju Pinnick. Nigeria has a duty to comply with that decision. In addition, for the indiscretion of those individuals like Chris Giwa to approach the local courts, FIFA has since
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