Visa Prevents Amputee Footballers From World Cup

Nigeria amputee footballers are not participating in the ongoing Amputee World Cup in Argentina because they could not secure visa from the country’s embassy.

The Tidesports source reports that more than 30 countries are featuring in the competition which began on October 17 and will end on October 27 in Buenos Aires.

The players, under the aegis of Amputee Football Federation of Nigeria (AFFN), told newsmen that the embassy’s attitude was “frustrating’’ and had wasted their efforts to be part of the event.

Blessing Agu, the team’s goalkeeper, said that they contributed N10, 000 each to enable them procure the visa from the embassy since they had no sponsor.

Agu said that some of them sold their mobile telephone handsets and other personal belongings to get the amount.

He said that in their preparation for the tournament, they defeated their Ghanaian counterparts who are Africa’s number one team 6-2 in a friendly game during Nigeria’s independence anniversary.

“The Ghana team is already in Argentina and we have practically missed because we would have played our first match on Wednesday, it is really disappointing,’’ he said.

Yomi Ojeyemi, a player told newsmen that this was the second time that the Nigerian team was missing the World Cup and that the situation would not help the sport’s development.

“In 2008, we got visa to Turkey for the World Cup but could not get money for tickets and as such did not participate,’’ he said.

Ojeyemi appealed to the National Sports Commission (NSC) to come to their aid and support amputee footballers to keep off the streets and check vices among them.

Ugochukwu Obieze, another player said that the visa denial had developed a negative impact on him, adding that sports administrators in the country were not adequately supporting the physically challenged.

“It appears Nigerians are not interested in amputee football and I am pained because of the love I have for the sport and the high spirit to represent my country in Argentina,’’ he added.

Obieze recalled that God Bless Nigeria Church sponsored them to Liberia in 2008 for the qualifiers where they picked the ticket for the World Cup but the effort was wasted.

“We have always lacked sponsors and it is not good for the development of the sport and ourselves and society at large,’’ he said.

Gboyega Adenisoye, Public Relation Officer of AFFN, told Tidesports source that the invitation to participate came late from the host country and that lack of a sponsor contributed to the visa problem.

Adenisoye said that he had just returned to Lagos from the Argentina Embassy in Abuja where he was given two impossible conditions for their visa.

“The embassy officials said the visa will take not less than 30 days to be ready, while all the contingent has to appear physically before visa can be issued to them,’’ he added.

He regretted that the effort of the footballers to represent the country at the World Cup was not realised and appealed to the government to give attention to physically challenged athletes.