Sports
S’Falcons’ Boycott Over Bonuses, Embarrassing To Nigeria – Ayegba
It is embarrassing to see Nigeria’s women’s team stage a boycott over the non-payment of both bonuses and allowances once again says former international Rachael Ayegba.
On Wednesday, the Super Falcons squad refused to leave their hotel rooms to train ahead of tonight’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) third-place play-off against Zambia.
The players said they had not received their bonus from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for qualifying for the tournament, as well as agreed allowances and over $10,000 owed to each of the squad for their three victories in Morocco.
“I’m really surprised and disappointed at the same time because I expected the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to have gone past this situation by now,” Ayegba told news man.
“Because this [has been happening] over 18-20 years, yet we are still dealing with the same situation. The same thing happened to the team in the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, and now the girls are boycotting the training.
“For me, it’s embarrassing to see that nothing has changed. I saw it on social media and was dismayed and disappointed. I’m really ashamed.”
Goalkeeper Ayegba was part of Nigeria’s 2004 Wafcon-winning side who staged a sit-in in their hotel in South Africa in a bid to be paid their dues, while she was also part of the 2007 Women’s World Cup squad that also had to protest to get their money.
The same scenario was repeated in 2016, shortly after Nigeria won the eighth of their record nine continental titles, and even the 2019 Women’s World Cup witnessed yet another sit-in protest over unpaid salaries and bonuses.
Despite the shame which she believes such incidents bring her nation, Ayegba says the Super Falcons squad have no other option if they are to receive their financial allocations.
“When you go to work, you expect to be paid – so for me, this is the only way for the players,” she explained.
“Because they know if they don’t do this right now and the competition is then over, the money is gone. So unfortunately, the players have to keep doing this.”
Each Super Falcons player in Morocco is entitled to a $100 daily allowance, $3,000 for each group stage win, with Nigeria winning twice in Group C, and $1,500 for a draw.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
-
Rivers14 hours ago
MBA Forex Trial Adjourn To June 3, Amid Bereavement … As Court Declines Cost Application
-
Featured9 hours agoWASSCE: RSG Distributes Science Materials To Secondary Schools
-
Business15 hours ago
Customs Impound N2.35bn Cocaine, 15 Trailers of Rice
-
Aviation14 hours ago
Passengers Stranded As Delta Airline From Atlanta Route Back Eight Hours After
-
Nation5 days agoEducation Commissioner Seeks media Collaboration In Rivers
-
Nation5 days agoRSUBE Holds Training For 1,000 New Teachers To Strengthen Basic Education
-
Politics14 hours ago
2027: Bayelsa Senator Gets Critical Endorsement For Second Term
-
Features15 hours agoOmerelu’s Historic Milestone … First Female Professor Rekindles Faith in Education