NFF, Eaglets And MRI Test

At a time stakeholders and indeed Nige
rians are trying to overcome the inter
national embarrassment caused the country by a row over bonuses between the Super Eagles and the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF in far away South Africa, it is unthinkable that the football House will allow the country to  be  enmeshed in yet another international shame.
A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that 11 members of the national Under-17 football team, the Golden Eaglets, many of who formed part of the team that won silver and eventually secured qualification for the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, failed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test conducted on members of the team.
The MRI test is a scientific measurement of the wrist bone to determine the true age of players. The test which has become mandatory for junior teams was to ensure that players eligible for the Under-17 competition were not over-aged.
That as many as 11 players of the Golden Eaglets failed the MRI test should be considered as a thing of shame for Nigeria, especially, because this is not the first time this would be happening. The Tide is worried that Nigeria would once again be associated with such dishonest practice in the administration of football.
Regrettably, having won the Under-17 World Cup title, finishing as runners-up thrice, respectively, and suffering sanction once (in the 1980s) from FIFA on account of the same sharp practice of  age falsification, the NFF ought to have known better than allow a repeat of such national disgrace.
For a country that badly needs her  national profile to be laundered at every level, this test has added to the image problems of the country. Even worse, is the fact that it had to happen in a sport that has large following. In fact, it negates a major demand in sports: That of not seeking victory at all cost, including foul means.
We are particularly worried that the key players of the country’s team that qualified for the championship  are among those that failed the MRI test. Coming less than two months to kick-off, this will certainly affect the psyche, cohesion and overall confidence of the team. This, indeed, is one distraction the team does not need.
That the NFF is trying to absolve itself from blame is totally unacceptable. If  the Federation had  acknowledged inability to properly estimate or project ahead to know that by the time of the championship, some of the players would have crossed the age line, it could have been understood, but to claim innocence is  one buck passing too many and spells doom for Nigeria in the future.
We think that the NFF and the Eaglets’ technical crew did not do well, and engaging in a blame game cannot help matters. Nigeria has no business using over-aged players in an age-grade competition when there are a million and one eligible others that can be groomed for the purpose.
For the negligence of or complicity in the use of over-aged players and the attendant international embarrassment, some people need to face some sanctions if this is not to continue in the future. We, therefore, hope that the National Sports Commission, NSC, and indeed the Senate and House  of Representatives Committees on Sports would do well to investigate the matter and apply appropriate sanctions.
On the long run, Nigeria must ensure the development of age-grade football through competitions aimed at identifying honest talents at all levels. Similarly, those who  fraudulently present themselves for age-grade competitions that  they  know that they have surpassed should be made to face some sanctions.
Perhaps, we should also insist that the authorities should ensure that the needed confirmatory tests should not only be seen to be done in-house, but in good time too,  so that those found ineligible  are dropped  in a timely manner, so that they are not exposed to the rigours of preparing for major international assignments in vain.
Beyond the MRI test saga, the NFF and coaching crew of the Eaglets must ensure that they close the gap created by the disqualification of the 11 players. Nothing should stop the Nigerian team from meaningful participation in the World Cup scheduled for the United Arab Emirates next month.
Above all, the NFF must not only purge itself of the tendency to cut corners, it must be seen to play by the rules and make maximum use of the abundant talents in Nigeria. The MRI test failure cannot be an excuse, Nigeria must give a good account of herself at the championship.