- As acting NFF scribe insists no action taken against Nigeria
- Suspension grounds Falconets
This is on account of government’s interference in the running of the NFF, which FIFA had warned against in a letter it sent to Abuja last Friday giving Tuesday as the deadline for Maigari and his board to be re-instated.
Article 13, par. 1 and article 17, par. 1 of the FIFA Statutes oblige member associations to manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties.
The decision follows a letter sent by FIFA to the NFF on July 4, 2014 in which it expressed its great concern after the NFF was served with court proceedings and consequently an order preventing the president of the NFF, Aminu Maigari; the NFF Executive Committee members; and the NFF Congress from running the affairs of Nigerian football.
The order was granted by a High Court in Jos, Plateau State.
The said court order compelled the Minister of Sports, dr. Tammy Danagogo, to appoint a senior member of the civil service, Lawrence Latken, to manage the NFF until the matter was heard in court, without giving any date for such a hearing.
Katken then convened an extraordinary general assembly on July 5, 2014.
FIFA said the extraordinary general assembly was convened in violation of the NFF statutes.
Originally, an elective congress had been planned by the NFF to take place on August 26, 2014.
FIFA said the suspension will be lifted once the court actions have been withdrawn and the properly elected NFF Executive Committee, the NFF general assembly and the NFF administration are able to work without any interference in their affairs.
Owing to this decision, no team from Nigeria of any sort (including clubs) can have any international sporting contact (art. 14 par. 3 of the FIFA Statutes).
During the period of suspension, the NFF may not be represented in any regional, continental or international competitions, including at club level or in friendly matches.
The most immediate effect is that Nigeria will not be entitled to participate in the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (5-24 August 2014) should the suspension not be lifted by July 15, 2014.
The impact of the FIFA action has already been felt following the refusal of the football governing body to issue traveling tickets to Nigeria’s U20 Women national team, Falconets to take part in the upcoming U20 Women’s World Cup (Canada 2014). The tournament runs between August 5-24 and the Nigerian side was scheduled to travel out early for acclimatization and play some preparatory games before the tournament.
However, it was learnt that when the team went to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in the course of the week to travel to Germany from where they were billed to head to Canada, but were told by Lufthansa Airlines officials that the team does not have tickets from FIFA to travel out.
The team has since returned to their hotel abode in Abuja and is said to have been training under darkness in an effort to conceal the FIFA action against Nigeria.
However, in a release, ostensibly made before the official FIFA statement, the Acting General Secretary, Mr. Lawrence Katken flatly denied the Falconets were prevented from traveling and insisted that FIFA had taken no action against Nigeria.
“It is a blatant lie to say FIFA refused to issue flight tickets to the Falconets. What happened was that the former General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, mistakenly cancelled the earlier reservations, so when the delegation got to the airport, they could not find seats on the flight.
“FIFA has told us they are working hard at alternatives, because Lufthansa Airline flights from Abuja are fully booked for the next weeks, and promised to get the players and officials to their training camp in Canada even if they have to travel in batches, from Thursday. Players and officials have been fully briefed and understand the situation.
“We are shocked at the falsehood being peddled by these faceless writers who clearly do not have the interest of the country and the interest of Nigeria football at heart.”
Katken also stated categorically that there is no FIFA action against Nigeria.
“There is no action being taken by FIFA against Nigeria. The writers of falsehood and their paymasters should embrace reality.”
However, in the wake of the suspension, neither the NFF nor any of its members or officials may benefit from any FIFA or CAF development programmes, courses or training during the suspension period.
Incidentally the suspension is coming despite frantic moves by the Sports Ministry to avoid the action by sending a former FIFA Executive Committee member, Dr Amos Adamu to Brazil to try to starve of the FIFA action.
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