Nigeria Supporters Angry With FIFA, LOC

Members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) may not watch the final Group F match between Nigeria and Argentina in Porto Alegre at the ongoing 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
The  club’s members had complained of poor treatment FIFA and the Local Organising Committee meted out to them in the previous matches played by the Super Eagles.
They complained that FIFA and the Local Organising Committee denied them going into the stadium with their musical instruments and their branded wears.
For more than four decades, members of the club have been attending major international football tournaments to cheer the national teams.
The president of the club, Radiu Oladipo told our source after the match between Nigeria and Bosnia-Hezergovina on Sunday that the denial was a surprise to them.
According to him, the club began its activities in 1977 and its efforts have been greatly acknowledged by the world football governing body, FIFA at various times.
“The past 37 years have been rewarding, but a sad twist seems to be hindering the club from performing its function in Brazil.
“This is very strange and we have to tackle it with everything at our disposal to avoid a repeat because if you separate music from football, there is nothing left for the fans,” he said.
Oladipo noted that the members were also prevented from dishing out the usual inspirational songs to back the Eagles while playing.
“The club members in their hundred travelled to Brazil to cheer the national team at the World Cup, wearing uniforms with the symbol of their sponsor, Globacom.
“The organisers, however, disallowed them into the stadium event with the uniform they were wearing,” he said.
He added that the LOC gave security reasons for disallowing the supporters club from going into the stadium with their drums and trumpets.
The organisers had said that the musical instruments could convert into projectiles.
But furious Oladipo accused the security officials of working against the interest of the Nigerian team in Brazil.
“This excuse is not tenable. This is like playing double standards in one competition.
“The Nigerian supporters club is not known for violence and this is not our first World Cup appearance.
“We have been doing this as our contribution to the game of football, not only in Nigeria, but also in Africa and the world.