2020 has been a strange year for everyone as a majority of our lives have been put on hold as a result of the pandemic. However, with the return of sport well and truly underway across the globe, it is the Nigerian team that has been in the news regarding their frustrations with the NFF and the government. In this article, we will be providing you with insight into the Nigerian Team and the potential Boycott of their upcoming games.

A Proposed Boycott From The Nationals Team Before Away Fixture

The country of Africa has seen a huge amount of disruption within their government as well as several other pressing issues such as the ending Sars movement and the dealing of the Covid-19 pandemic this has led to a vast amount of disruption at this time. The first boycott that we have seen with the Nigerian football team is the African Nations Cup Finals in 2011. This was one of the many events at this time that kickstarted the beginning of change and conversation surrounding the current government in South Africa at the time.

The reason for pulling out of the competition at that time was down the level of security that they would be met with. Not only were the team concerned, but the nigeran ruler Sani Abacha was one of the many people that said Nigeria was not allowed to take part in the sporting event. This caused an issue for the popularity of the Nigerian team at this time as the Confederation of African Football threatened the Nigerian National team with a six-month ban from the championships as a result of pulling out of the major sporting competition.

The Argument Over 18 Months Of Bonuses And Allowances

Since then, there have been some changes to the way that the Nigerian nationals’ team have been treated, however, there are still substantial changes that need to be made for them to feel appreciated and continue to play without a national boycott. One of the sticking points is of course the issue of pay. With a total of 18-months’ worth of allowances, pay and bonuses still yet to be paid, this has been a huge sticking point for the team.  With a national boycott looming there are many wondering how much disruption this will cause to the cup as the Nigerian team are one of the most popular set to compete. Without them participating, this can have a significant impact on sports betting in the country as this is an industry that is already suffering losses as a result of the Pandemic with many betting websites concerned about whether or not they will be able to take bets for the national team moving forward. Which is another area of concern for the government that adds up to the taxation issues that SBO mentions for example. And, finally, this has also left the Nigerian Football Federation scrambling to make sure that all of these issues are ironed out so that the team can get back on track to play in their upcoming tournaments.

Tensions Between The Government And The NFF

With a long-standing history of corruption within the government of large parts of Africa, there have always been tensions when it comes to finances. With funding coming directly from the government there have been issues surrounding the payment of not only the players but the staff themselves. However, with the pandemic still sweeping across the world, there are many wondering whether the league may be in trouble as the government continues to have their own financial issues during this time of ongoing uncertainty.

In addition to this, the ongoing issue surrounding the ending of Sars in Africa has been another huge issue for those living there. With the issue reaching ahead this year, many superstar athletes from across the globe have called out Sars for their treatment of the Nigerian people and have called for the Special Anti-Robbery Squad to be disbanded due to the gross misconduct in the country. One of the superstars that have been the most outspoken at this time is John Ogu who has called on the Nigerian team to boycott the upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations away fixtures.

The Future Of Football In Nigeria

Though there have been several steps in the right direction when it comes to the future of Football in Africa and their own leagues, there is still a long way to go when it comes to the payment of players and the treatment of staff in order for it to be as successful as major sporting leagues from the UK and other parts of the world.

Whether you have been following the league for a long time now and placed your bets on it or you are new to the world of Football, there is plenty to look forward to with the upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.