Nigeria’s soccer gamers have mentioned they will boycott Tuesday’s African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Libya after being stranded at an airport within the nation in a single day, in what the crew’s captain known as “mind games”.
The Tremendous Eagles squad was anticipated to land at Benghazi Airport on Sunday, however because the constitution flight was descending, it was diverted to Al Abraq, 200km away, with no various transport supplied, the Nigerian Soccer Federation mentioned.
Captain William Troost-Ekong mentioned no purpose was given for the change, including that the airport’s gates had been locked and the group had been left “without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games”.
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However after being stranded there for greater than 16 hours, he mentioned he and the crew had “decided that we will not play this game,” including that “mistakes happen, but these things on purpose have nothing to do with international football”.
After the celebration arrived residence on Monday night, he posted one other replace, saying “back home, safe and sound” and different social media posts confirmed them celebrating within the airport in Kano, in northern Nigeria.
The Libyan Soccer Federation (LFF) mentioned it regretted the flight diversion however instructed on X it might have been right down to “routine air traffic control protocols, security checks, or logistical challenges”.
Photos posted on-line by the gamers confirmed a few of them mendacity on airport seats, their baggage beside them, and no different passengers in sight. In different footage, gamers have been sleeping.
Nigeria’s star striker Victor Osimhen, who was dominated out of the sport with an damage, had little question it was a deliberate transfer, accusing their opponents of attempting to “weaken and ruin the morale” of his teammates.
Osimhen in contrast it on Instagram to a “hostage situation”, advising his colleagues to return residence, as they don’t seem to be “criminals or prisoners”.
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On Monday the LFF mentioned in an announcement on X its crew confronted comparable points as they arrived in Nigeria for Friday’s first leg in Uyo, which Nigeria gained 1-0.
Shortly earlier than touchdown at an airport near the match venue, the LFF mentioned, airport officers instructed the pilot to go to a special airport round 350km away.
It mentioned they have been handled “unprofessionally” by airport safety workers and needed to journey “through forest and jungle roads in the middle of the night without any security escort”.
Vehicles have been employed “to take staff and team supplies from the airport we arrived at to the hotel in the other city where we stayed”.
Libya’s captain Faisal al Badri mentioned they have been delayed “from one city to another” for 3 hours after their baggage have been searched.
Nigeria’s Soccer Federation denied the claims.
The nation’s sports activities minister John Owan Enoh mentioned he had instructed the soccer federation to ship a proper grievance to African soccer chiefs, saying in an announcement it wanted to be “on record and thoroughly addressed”.
The Confederation Africaine de Soccer (CAF) mentioned in an announcement it has contacted authorities in each nations after studying the Nigerian squad was “stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities”.
It has referred the matter to its disciplinary board to analyze and “appropriate action will be taken” if its guidelines have been damaged, it mentioned.
Among the many gamers in Nigeria’s squad are Ademola Lookman, who scored a hat trick for Atalanta within the Europa League ultimate final season and is on the Ballon d’Or shortlist, and Victor Boniface, a striker for German champion Bayer Leverkusen.
Premier League gamers Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Taiwo Awoniyi, and Wilfred Ndidi have been concerned in Friday’s sport.
